


Unexpected Expectations

by MilayaMilenZeal, Night_the_Dragon



Category: Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy XV, Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: Alpha Prompto Argentum, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst with a Happy Ending, Eventual Smut, Eventual relationship, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mpreg, Omega Noctis Lucis Caelum
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-03-16 10:57:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 122,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13634898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MilayaMilenZeal/pseuds/MilayaMilenZeal, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Night_the_Dragon/pseuds/Night_the_Dragon
Summary: From a first glance, one would quickly assume him to be an omega, given the anxious expression on his face. The problem with that, though, was that he had just a little too much muscle for it, and even for a beta. Which left only one option; he was an alpha. Had to be, really.The blonde approached Noctis, seeming almost a bit nervous, and when he reached him, he gestured to the seat next to the raven and asked politely, “Is this seat taken?”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A bit of a...reversal of roles, compared to our other Promptis fics.

If there was one thing Noctis Lucis Caelum had learned at an early age, it was that in their society, being born an omega immediately put you at a serious disadvantage. Not only did people consider you as being less of a person, you also had to suffer through the monthly heats that reduced you to a sexually frustrated mess, left to the whims of whatever alpha showed up to claim you. His first encounter with an omega going through that had been less than pleasant.

However, with him being raised a prince, he was taught early on that, despite their ‘flaws’, omegas were still residents of Insomnia, and his father had told him this often enough that he could almost dream it. And while he knew that some alphas (and even some betas) would chastise him for this, he had no qualms about omegas in general. Even if he was supposed to be “alpha of alphas”, as the Kings of Lucis were often called, someday, his father’s teachings wouldn’t let him see them as anything other than people deserving his family’s protection.

He was also well aware of the fact that, he, like the rest of his lineage, was expected to be an alpha, like his father, his grandfather, and so on and so on. For many, there wasn’t really any question about the fact that, once the tests came in, he would be declared an alpha as well. And, honestly, it seemed pretty obvious to him, as well.

So imagine his shock/surprise when the test came back on his 12th birthday and it said he actually _wasn’t_ an alpha…

No; he was an omega.

The revelation had left him in a state akin to shock, and he’d spent at least a week not saying a word, with not even his father being able to get him out of it. Once he’d managed to get over it, the decision was swiftly made to not reveal this news to the public. No one really seemed to care either way, anyway; everyone just assumed right off the bat that he was an alpha, and no one dared question the royal family.

That was really his only solace about the whole thing; no one questioned him about what he was. While he had certainly made peace with what he was, with the climate of Insomnia as it was today (even with his father’s influence), he was certain the people would refuse to accept him as an omega. And so, he chose to play along, pretending to be an alpha, if only for his family’s sake, with only his closest companions, Gladiolus Amicitia and Ignis Scientia, knowing the truth aside from his father.

And regardless of his situation, Noctis still trained as hard as ever with Gladio, getting himself to the same shape of any normal alpha, and then beyond to ensure he would never be seen as weak (and to keep unwanted alphas away from him). Just so that no one would even dare think to _consider_ him being an omega. Added to that, he also kept up his studies to ensure he would never be behind, just in case people got to the conclusion _that_ way. Although he _still_ dreaded the days when he was forced to sit down for paperwork… though really, who wasn’t?

What he liked even less, though, and even sort of dreaded, was getting up early to get to school. Especially after a day of both training _and_ studying. Sleep was great, being awake, especially early, wasn’t. And unfortunately, his ‘alarm clock’ came in the form of a very insistent beta.

“Good morning, Noct,” the ever-so-familiar voice of Ignis called from the door following a couple of knocks before he entered the prince’s bedroom. “Time to get up. You have school today.”

The words made Noctis groan as he reached up for his eyes, rubbing the dust from them. “Ugh… do I have to?” He _really_ wasn’t looking forward to school today…

“Yes. You need to keep up appearances, Noct, and remaining in bed won’t do anything for that,” Ignis stated validly.

The prince sighed heavily. “Fiiiine…”

“I expect you downstairs for breakfast in the next 10 minutes at most,” the beta told him, before leaving.

“Yeah yeah…” Noctis groaned. As Noctis got up from the bed, he briefly rubbed the back of his neck, before he moved to get washed up quickly and dressed. He somehow managed to make it downstairs within the allotted ten minutes, too.

“Good morning, Noctis,” Regis greeted when the prince walked in.

“Morning,” Noctis mumbled softly as he took his seat. Gladio was already seated in his own spot, and he smirked at the tired look on the raven’s face.

“Never gonna be an early bird, are ya, Noct?” he teased.

“Nope.”

“Even after all this time…” Ignis sighed as he brought out Noctis’s breakfast. Noctis didn’t bother to say anything in response to the words, as he instead chose to dig into his breakfast quietly.

“At least it’s your senior year, Noctis,” Regis told his son.

“Yeah, that way you can focus on sleeping in when I’m not training you,” Gladio laughed after taking a drink from his glass.

“Whoo,” Noctis ‘cheered’ dryly, before he took another bite of his toast.

“Don’t forget your suppressant,” Ignis said suddenly, setting the small pill by the omega’s arm. “And when you’ve finished eating, I’ll be waiting by the Regalia.” The words made the prince groan in slight annoyance, but he didn’t complain as he popped the pill in his mouth and took a long swig from his water.

Regis watched Noctis for a moment, before focusing back on his own breakfast. He had to admit, as much as he hid his worries from his son, he couldn’t help but be at least a bit concerned for him. After all, as an omega putting up the façade of alpha, it would be incredibly difficult for him once it did come out. Which it would eventually, especially when it came time for the prince to find a suitable partner to spend his life with.

Noctis didn't notice the look on his father’s face, as he finished his breakfast quietly. Once he had, he stood up and, after nodding his head to his father, he went to collect his school supplies. Much as he hated school, he knew he had little choice but to go.

Absently, he wondered if he’d be able to actually make a friend this time…

But, hey, that was probably wishful thinking.

Once he had gotten his supplies and had joined Ignis at the Regalia, the sandy blonde nodded briefly to him before they both climbed into the car and drove off to the high school. Upon arriving, Ignis gently slowed to a smooth stop near the curb before nodding to Noctis.

“I’ll meet you here after school, Noct,” he told the prince.

“I know,” Noctis sighed out as he wordlessly stepped out of the car. After he’d shut the door he then proceeded to head to the school building without a word said.

Once he was inside the building, he made his way to his first class, where he took a seat in the back of the room, as he always did. Normally, no one would sit near him, knowing to give the prince his space, but the next student to enter the room didn’t seem to realize this. Or he just didn’t care. One of the two.

The teen was a blonde, with his bangs partially covering his right eye, his eyes being a bright blue color. From a first glance, one would quickly assume him to be an omega, given the anxious expression on his face. The problem with that, though, was that he had just a little too much muscle for it, and even for a beta. Which left only one option; he was an alpha. Had to be, really.

The blonde approached Noctis, seeming almost a bit nervous, and when he reached him, he gestured to the seat next to the raven and asked politely, “Is this seat taken?”

The prince regarded the blonde quietly for a few moments. He was fairly certain by now that he was an alpha, despite his characteristics. Which meant he'd have to be careful; he'd heard that there were some alphas around who could smell if someone was an omega, or could simply tell from a glance.

"...nah, go ahead," he mumbled, against his better judgment.

“Thanks,” the alpha smiled in relief, before seating himself at the desk. “Prince Noctis, right? I’m Prompto,” he greeted kindly, holding out a hand to shake.

"..." Noctis didn't respond for a few minutes, regarding the blonde's hand for a moment. After carefully weighing his options, he reached out and shook it. "Hey," he said simply.

“Not much of a morning person, huh?” Prompto chuckled, smiling in a good-natured manner.

"Nope..." was the simple response.

“It’s fine. We all have those hard mornings,” the blonde smiled sympathetically. “Some worse than others...” he added in a quiet mumble.

"..." Noctis regarded him for a few moments, before he gave a smirk. "Was that supposed to be an innuendo?"

“Wha? No! Definitely not!” Prompto yelped, his cheeks turning red with embarrassment. “That was nowhere NEAR what I meant!”

That actually made the prince choke on a laugh. "Easy, dude. It was a joke."

The alpha pouted a little, before rolling his eyes with a small grin. “Geez, never took you for the joking type. I’d only heard you were all serious and shit. Now I can see those people are definitely wrong.”

That was no surprise; no one had really bothered to try and address him before, so very few really knew him. And the few that _did_ try, were only interested in his status as prince.

So he just shrugged his shoulders. "Not my fault no one bothered."

“Well I’ll bother, then,” Prompto chuckled. “I’d like to be friends. You mind?”

"Hmm... lemme think..." Noctis murmured, tapping his chin as he looked to the ceiling. "What's in it for me?" he asked finally as he regarded Prompto.

“You get a friend outside of anyone at the Citadel,” the blonde pointed out. “I’ve noticed you don’t have anyone here you hang out with, so what’s there to lose?”

The prince couldn't stop the small chuckle that escaped him. "Hmm... you make a valid point. Sure, let's be friends."

“Sweet,” Prompto grinned, lightly clapping the omega on the shoulder. “So, what’s your class schedule, anyway? I somehow managed to memorize mine, for once. Hadn’t happened before this year.” At that, he chuckled.

"Hmm... haven't really looked yet," Noctis admitted, since he hadn't been looking forward to going back to school again. He reached into his bag briefly and, after a moment of digging, found his schedule. "Here," he said calmly as he passed it to Prompto.

The alpha looked over the prince’s schedule for a few moments, before he grinned. “Looks like we have the same schedule,” he told Noctis.

This news was a bit strange to Noctis, since he'd never had _all_ classes with any of his other classmates before, but he supposed the possibility existed. It was just a very small possibility.

"Really? Huh... guess we'll be seeing a lot of each other no matter what, eh?"

“Makes it easier that we’re friends though,” Prompto smirked, and then the warning bell rang. Shortly after, the other students began to file in, and as soon as the final bell rang, the teacher came into the room. Noctis turned to face the teacher in silence, schooling his expression into its usual unimpressed state. No need for anyone to figure out he was happy to be here, after all.

The blonde turned to face the front as well, but his entire demeanor was relaxed, and he looked somewhat pleased now, compared to when he’d first come into the classroom.

When the lecture was finally over, the bell ringing to signify this, Prompto dropped his pencil into his bag, before shaking his hand out a little.

“Gah, my hand’s cramping from all the writing,” he complained.

"Really? I don't think it was _that_ bad," Noctis said casually. He didn't mention to Prompto that he spent a lot of his days either studying or doing paperwork with Ignis... if he wasn't training with Gladio, of course.

Prompto stuck his tongue out childishly, before closing his notebook, sticking it in his bag, and getting up. “Well, we’d best get to our next class,” he shrugged.

"May as well," Noctis sighed out, shrugging his shoulder absently. Th alpha nodded his agreement, and they headed out to their next class together. As they walked, Prompto kept quiet, despite wanting to ask Noctis if he wanted to hang out after school. He figured it was definitely too soon, so he chose not to ask.

If Noctis was aware of the blonde's thoughts, then he certainly didn't show it as he adjusted his bag along his shoulder. As they went, though, he pulled out his phone and wrote a quick text to Ignis.

 

**Me: Hey, Ignis, any news on the apartment situation?**

**Specs: I’ve found a few that will work, and they’re relatively close to the school and the Citadel.**

**Me: Sounds cool. So I’m guessing we’re gonna be visiting them after school?**

**Specs: Indeed. Unless you somehow managed to conjure up some plans, of course.**

**Me: Not me. At least not today.**

**Specs: Then I’ll see you after school.**

 

Nodding absently, Noctis put his phone back in his pocket, just as they reached the next classroom.

“Who was that?” Prompto inquired casually.

"Ah... That was Ignis," the raven said simply. "Gotta go out and look at stuff after school."

“Oh, okay,” the alpha nodded as they took a pair of seats at the back again, but he couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. Then again, it was probably for the best. Noctis briefly stretched his arms above his head before he pulled out his textbooks. He was, of course, far from thrilled with school, but at the very least, Lucian was a class he was pretty sure he didn't need to put a lot of effort in. It was basically like a second language for him, anyway.

Prompto pulled out his notebook and textbook as well, getting his pencil ready to take notes. As the class went on, though, he had a feeling he would need some extra help from someone. Unlike him, though, Noctis didn't even bother with notes. He just sat and listened to the teacher drone on and on about the proper nouns and pronunciation.

Finally, when class ended, the blonde sighed, “I’m gonna struggle if I don’t get some help, sheesh…”

“…” Noctis watched him slump over his desk before he chuckled. “ _Sounds like someone hasn’t been paying attention in junior year,_ ” he said in fluent Lucian.

“ _I try, but I’m not good,_ “ Prompto argued, the words coming out with some difficulty. He was better at understanding it than speaking it, at least.

Chuckling still, Noctis packed up his things and said, “ _Guess we’ll have to fix that before the exams roll around, eh?_ ”

The alpha nodded, before switching back. “Mind helping me?” he asked hopefully.

“Oh fine, if I must,” Noctis sighed, but the look on his face said he didn’t mind at all.

“Thanks, buddy,” Prompto smiled gratefully. He was immensely relieved, since he definitely couldn’t afford to fail at all. Especially when he was so close to being done with school. “I’ll need your number, though, so I can text you when I need help.”

For a moment, Noctis paused and hesitated. He knew he wasn’t supposed to just hand out his number to any random schmuck. But then again, Prompto was (supposed to be) his friend, so was it really _that_ bad? Plus, if he DID end up being little more than a nuisance or someone who proved himself to be no different from everyone else, he could just block the number later.

“Sure,” he said calmly as he pulled out his phone to look up his own number. It wasn’t like he called himself very often, after all.

“Thanks a ton, Noctis,” the blonde grinned as he put the prince’s number into his own phone. “Don’t worry, I’ll tell you it’s me when I text ya.”

“Sounds good,” Noctis said with a nod as they moved along to their next class. Prompto nodded as well, and they soon arrived at their third class. Once the bell rang, he pulled his textbook and notebook out like before, and began to write his notes.

‘ _Here’s hoping I don’t end up regretting this…_ ’ Noctis thought as he got his own textbooks out. As much as he wanted to have a friend outside of his circle of companions in the Citadel, he couldn’t permit himself to get attached to someone if they were going to be a liability.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

Finally, lunch rolled around after their fourth class, and Prompto was relieved to get an hour of reprieve from the monotony of teachers droning on and on about boring shit.

“Finally, I’m starving!” he grinned at Noctis.

“Same here,” Noctis groaned as he stretched. “Let’s skip the cafeteria, though…”

“Really? Where do you normally hang out to eat, then?”

“I prefer the courtyard. Much less commotion.”

“Good thinking,” the blonde agreed, before pausing. “Actually, if you want no commotion, I know a spot.”

“Hm?”

“Just come with me!” Prompto laughed, before grabbing Noctis’s wrist and leading him outside, away from the school building. It was still nice out this time of year, otherwise Prompto wouldn’t have considered taking the raven to his private spot. When he stopped, he smiled warmly at Noctis, saying, “Here we are. This is my own little…garden, I guess you could call it.”

It was indeed almost a small garden, with four decent-sized trees around the area, lush green grass covering the ground all over, the softest-looking spots in the middle, and a multitude of various blooming flowers along the edges where the trees didn’t touch the ground.

“…Wow… I didn’t even know this place existed…” Noctis admitted softly.

“Yeah, I found it once in freshman year, and I’ve enjoyed eating and hanging out here ever since,” the alpha explained quietly. “Unless the weather is shit, of course.” At that, he chuckled.

“Makes sense,” the prince chuckled as he plopped himself down lazily against the nearest tree.

“Yeah,” Prompto nodded, flopping down beside him, before pulling out his bento from his bag. The prince quietly watches him for a moment, before he sat up properly and got his own bento from his bag.

The blonde began to eat his lunch, glad that Noctis liked his secret place. After all, he hadn’t shared it with anyone else, and it was a safe place for him. He’d actually found it while hiding from some bigger alphas that had been picking on him in freshman year, and like he’d told the raven, he enjoyed being here. Being surrounded by some of nature’s beauty made him feel completely at ease.

As Noctis sat back, flipping open his bento, he did a quick cursory glance, just to make sure Ignis hadn’t snuck in any vegetables, before he finally picked up the chopsticks and started eating. Prompto noticed how the prince had done a quick check of his meal, and snickered.

“What, making sure something shouldn’t be in there?” he teased.

“Hmhmm,” Noctis hummed simply as he chewed. Once he’d swallowed, he said simply, “I don’t do vegetables.”

“Eh, to each their own,” the alpha shrugged, ironically biting into a veggie in his bento without complaint. The prince spotted this, of course, and he actually snorted briefly at that, before he purposefully bit down on a piece of meat, as if to prove a point. Prompto noticed this, and chuckled. “Hey, I don’t judge. You don’t eat veggies, and that’s fine,” he assured him.

“Uh-huh…”

“How about this: if any veggies _do_ get snuck into your food, I’ll take ‘em,” the blonde offered, an amused smile curving his lips.

“Hmmm…” Noctis pressed his chopsticks to his lips briefly, before he smirked. “Sounds good.”

“Then it’s settled,” Prompto laughed, before popping another bite into his mouth. Noctis smiled a bit, before he went back to his own lunch. They ate in a companionable quiet until lunch was almost over, and then they packed up before heading back to the school building.

As they headed back, though, Noctis couldn’t help but feel somewhat anxious himself. He didn’t feel bad about making a friend, but he knew he definitely had to be careful. Especially considering his companions; Ignis was sure to be overprotective, and Gladio was sure to point out that he couldn’t let his guard down for even a moment. And that was even before his status as an omega was brought up. He knew that there was no way he could bring it up to Prompto. The chance that anyone would find out through him coming out to Prompto was simply too great. It was simply a risk he couldn’t take.

The alpha seemed to noticed the raven’s anxiety, because at one point, he looked over at Noctis in slight concern. “You okay? Feels like you’re a bit anxious or something…” he said.

“Hm? …ah, I’m fine…”

“All right, if you’re sure, Prince Noctis,” Prompto replied, albeit still appearing concerned. The moment he said that, Noctis stopped in his tracks.

“…Hey.”

“Hm?”

“You don’t have to be so formal. Just ‘Noct’ is fine.”

The blonde blinked in surprise at the words, before smiling warmly. “Sounds good. Thanks, Noct,” he murmured.

“No sweat,” Noctis said with a small smile of his own, as they walked back into the building.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

Eventually, after their 7th period class ended, Prompto grinned lazily at Noctis. “Nice, done for the day! And miraculously, no homework on the first day for once,” he chuckled.

“Mmm…! Homework should be outlawed, anyway…” Noctis mumbled.

“Hey, maybe once you’re the one on the throne, you can change that,” the alpha pointed out with a laugh as he grabbed his things.

“Trust me, it’s on the ‘To-do’ list,” the prince chuckled out as he threw his bag along his shoulder.

“Oh? And what else do you have on your kingly ‘To-do’ list?” Prompto snorted.

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” was the cheeky response as they headed out. The blonde laughed, before stopping when they reached the front of the school.

“Well, I need to head home myself, but good luck with…whatever you got planned,” he told the prince, before walking off to his home. “See you tomorrow, Noct!”

Noctis allowed a smile as he waved Prompto off, before he headed off to where he knew Ignis was waiting for him. When he reached the beta, however, Ignis waited until they were both in the Regalia before mentioning anything.

“You two appeared to be on good terms,” he commented idly.

“Hm? …Oh, yeah, I guess…” Noctis murmured, shrugging.

“New friend of yours, then?” Ignis guessed as he pulled away from the curb.

“…Yeah.”

“Just be mindful of him, Noct,” the sandy blonde advised calmly, driving off to the first apartment place.

Noctis groaned; he knew this’d be coming. “I knooooow…”

“You should consider yourself lucky this is coming from me, rather than Gladio first,” Ignis pointed out.

“Yeah, yeah…”

The beta fell silent at that, and remained that way until they pulled into the first apartment complex. “Here we are,” he announced, putting the Regalia in park and shutting off the engine.

Noctis hummed as he dropped his bag down on the floor before he climbed out, stretching lazily as he shut the door behind him. “Alright…let’s get this started, then…”

“Indeed,” Ignis nodded, climbing out as well. And from there, the apartment hunt began.

The prince tried not to seem annoyed, since he didn’t want Iggy to call this off entirely. It isn’t that he wants to get away from the Citadel, but there were definitely times that he just needed some time on his own. And he just couldn’t get much of that when he was constantly surrounded by servants.

Still, that didn’t mean he had to settle for mediocrity.

The apartments here were nice, some nicer than others, but it just didn’t suit Noctis’s needs or wants. They left, and hunted around for a couple of hours more, managing to make it to the last complex to check into that Ignis had found.

When they went into the nicer apartments, Ignis asked, “Well, Noct? What do you think?”

“It’s better than the others…” Noctis said with a small shrug.

“Will this be a suitable apartment for you, then?”

“…Yeah, this’ll work.”

“Well, then let’s go and fill out the appropriate paperwork, shall we?” the beta suggested, a faint smile curving his lips.

“Sounds good,” Noctis agreed with a nod. They went to see the complex manager, Dino, and he grinned at the news.

“So, how soon would you like to move in, Your Majesty?” he asked.

After a moment of consideration, Noctis said simply, “This weekend should be good. That should give me enough time to get everything set up.”

“Great, I’ll have it ready for you by then!” Dino nodded, and handed the raven a key. “That way you can get in when you move your things in.”

“Thank you,” Noctis said simply with a nod.

“Thank you for your assistance, Dino,” Ignis added, before leaving with Noctis so they could return to the Citadel. Once in the Regalia, the sandy blonde asked, “Happy?”

“Very much,” Noctis confirmed calmly.

“Good to know,” Ignis chuckled, and they soon arrived back at the Citadel.

 

X*X(Prompto)X*X

Prompto was still stunned and a bit confused, as he headed to his room. Why was Noctis moving out of the Citadel? And into his complex, of all places! Well, he really shouldn’t complain. This just meant they could see each other more. Honestly, he was pretty excited now.


	2. Chapter 2

The following morning arrived similar to the morning prior, with Ignis waking Noctis and the omega getting breakfast before being driven to school. This time, however, when the raven got out of the Regalia, Prompto was waiting for him near the doors.

“Morning, Noct!” he greeted when the prince approached.

“Hey,” Noctis chuckled as he came over, adjusting his bag quietly. They fell into step with each other as they headed to their first class.

“So, how’d your after-school thing go yesterday?” the alpha inquired.

“It went good,” was the calm response.

“Not gonna tell me what it was, huh?”

“Nope.”

“Aww…” Prompto pouted, but he already knew, considering he’d seen Noctis at his complex yesterday, getting a key for one of the nicer apartments. But he couldn’t say anything, lest he scare the prince off. Didn’t want that.

As they walked through the halls, Noctis wondered briefly when he should bring up the fact that he was moving out to Prompto. Then again, they’d only met just the other day, so what business was it of him? Maybe he’d bring it up next week…granted they were still friends, then.

“Hey, Noct, you got plans this weekend?” the blonde asked.

“Hm? …Well, I did have something planned on Saturday… but I should be free Sunday.”

“Wanna come over to my place and tutor me for Lucian on Sunday, then?”

Noctis hummed briefly, frowning. As much as he wanted to say ‘yes’ straight away, he knew he’d have to discuss it with Ignis or his father first. He’s pretty sure that, if he were an actual alpha, there’d be no problems, but given the fact that he wasn’t, he was pretty sure he’d be in a whole lot of trouble if he didn’t bring it up with them first.

“…I’m going to have to check with my father, first… He might decide I need an escort before going anywhere,” he said, making sure to sound as casual as possible.

“Oh…okay. Well, I’ll buy pizza then if you can come over,” Prompto offered with a smile.

“Pizza? That’s your best shot?” Noctis chuckled. “But hey, if it works,” he added, shrugging.

“Oh, it will. The place I order from has the best pizza of anywhere. It’s one of those little mom-and-pop places, too, so it’s even better,” the alpha replied smugly.

“Honestly… I doubt it can top Iggy’s cooking,” the prince smirked, chuckling as they entered the classroom.

“Hey, as far as take-out pizza places go, it’s amazing,” Prompto argued with a laugh.

“If you say so,” was the only response as Noctis took his seat.

“I do say so,” the blonde smirked, sitting down as well and pulling out his stuff.

As the other students walked in, Noctis reached down into his pocket, pulling out his phone and quickly texted his dad.

 

**Me: Dad, are you free tonight?**

**Dad: Yes, and you know I’ll always make time for my son. What is it?**

**Me: I just need to ask you something, and I’d rather ask in person.**

**Dad: That’s perfectly fine. Is it anything I should be concerned about?**

 

Noctis hesitated briefly in responding, biting the corner of his lip thoughtfully.

 

**Me: Maybe…but I hope not.**

**Dad: I’ll trust your judgement, Noctis. Don’t worry so much about what I think.**

 

That was definitely a relief to hear, and Noctis almost sighed audibly.

 

**Me: Thanks, Dad. I’ll see you tonight.**

**Dad: I’ll see you then. Have a good day.**

 

Prompto looked at Noctis as he tucked his phone back into his pocket, wondering if everything was okay. He lightly tapped the raven’s arm as the bell rang, before asking quietly, “Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” Noctis said with a nod. “Everything’s fine, don’t worry.”

“All right,” the alpha nodded, before focusing on taking notes. As Noctis started writing down his own notes, his mind started wandering about the following weekend.

As long as he took his suppressants, he should be fine, and even if his heat were to hit, he could probably play it off as a headache. Which should give him enough of an excuse to head back to his own apartment. He didn’t _want_ that to happen, of course, but it was better to be prepared, anyway.

He should probably bring it up with Ignis, too, but he figured that could wait until his dad gave the okay.

Prompto, on the other hand, was thinking about the coming weekend as well, and he was almost too excited to have his new friend living in the same complex. Honestly, he was eager to see the raven’s face when he found out, but at the same time, he hoped the news wouldn’t make Noctis want to immediately move back out or stop being friends.

He was soon almost ahead of the notes, so he started to doodle a bit in his notebook, drawing out a sketch of a small, almost fox-looking creature he’d only ever seen in a dream once. It had a strange impact on him, though, and the little guy was pretty cute, too.

Once class finished, Noctis hummed softly as he closed his textbook. “So…Mr. I’ve-memorized-the-schedule,” he said cheekily to Prompto after he’d packed his bag.

“What about it?” the blonde replied with an amused snort.

“So where do we go now, hm?”

“Lucian class, same as yesterday,” Prompto laughed. “You already forget, Mr. I-speak-fluent-Lucian?”

Noctis snorted with a smirk. “At least I remember something that’s still going to be of use after we’re done with school.”

“Hey, I can understand it better than I can speak it, so there’s that,” the alpha pointed out. “Anyway, I learn best with repetition, so that should help when you _do_ tutor me.”

The omega merely chuckled as he adjusted his bag. “Anyway, shall we go?”

“Yeah, before we’re late,” Prompto nodded. The prince nodded as he followed Prompto out of the room.

As they headed into the hallway and made their way to second period, though, both teens stiffened when a tempting scent began to flood the hallway. In the next second, there was a pained cry as the source, an omega, obviously going into heat, fell to his knees, clutching his head from the effects of his heat.

“Shit…!” the blonde cursed, already feeling the strong effects the heat smell was having on him. If he didn’t leave soon, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself, and, looking at Noctis, he was fairly sure the prince was going through the same thing. “We need to get out of here, _now_ …!” he hissed, grabbing Noctis’s wrist and dragging him outside as a number of the teachers (most of them being betas), moved in to keep the other alphas away while keeping the small omega safe.

Noctis stumbled after Prompto, a little startled at the urgency behind the tug, before he realized that the blonde probably thought Noctis was an alpha as well. Which was when he righted himself and ran after Prompto, away from the hallway where the omega was now crying out and nearly screaming from the effects of his heat.

Once outside, Prompto took deep breaths of the fresh, outside air, clearing his head. “Dammit…” he growled, looking back into the building worriedly. He was honestly concerned for the omega, but if he’d tried to help, it wouldn’t have ended well.

As he caught his breath again, Noctis looked to Prompto. The blonde was obviously still a bit affected by the tantalizing scent from the omega, given his blown-out pupils and labored breathing. The smell hadn’t bothered Noctis as much, given that he was an omega as well, but Prompto didn’t need to know that…yet, anyway.

“You okay?” he asked finally, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Y…yeah, just didn’t want to do anything stupid...” Prompto muttered, before looking back at the school worriedly. “I wanted to help, but if I had tried…” He trailed off, looking down shamefully and biting his lip. “I never want to hurt anyone, _especially_ an omega…” he mumbled.

Those words served to put Noctis at ease a little bit. Even if the situation had been less than enjoyable, if he had to take anything good from this, it was that he knew Prompto wasn’t like all other alphas. Initially, anyway, as there were still things he’d need to know before making a final assessment.

“Yeah…but sometimes it’s just…difficult,” Noctis said, sighing. “I just hope he got to the medical bay in time…”

“Yeah, here’s hoping…” the blonde sighed, before shaking his head a little. “Honestly, we’d probably better avoid going inside until the heat smell clears. Whenever I’ve smelled it, it’s not exactly the most pleasant, as I’m sure you know…if you get my meaning…”

The prince wasn’t about to tell him that the smell didn’t affect him in the same way it would Prompto as alpha, even though it did have _some_ minor effect. He’d heard that there had been situations where one omega’s heat would trigger another omega’s heat, despite the second omega having taken their suppressants. Thus far that hadn’t happened to him, but he certainly didn’t want to take the risk.

“Yeah…better to wait out here until the teachers give the okay…”

Prompto nodded softly, before looking at his friend. “Do you want to go to the mini garden for now? It’ll probably be an hour until it’s okay to go back,” he said.

“Yeah, sounds good.”

The alpha smiled in relief, before murmuring, “Thanks,” and then leading the omega to the mini garden, where he flopped down on his back on the grass. This made Noctis laugh softly, before he moved to join the blonde.

As they lay there, for several minutes, Prompto was quiet. Finally, though, he spoke up. “…Remember how I told you yesterday I found this place in freshman year…?” he asked quietly. He wasn’t sure why he was bringing this up so soon in their friendship, but he felt something in his heart just wanting to tell the prince this. Almost like he needed to get it off his chest, but not quite.

“…yeah. Why?”

“There’s actually…a bit more to it than that…” the blonde murmured. When he got no verbal response, he sighed. “I…I’ve always been kind of an outcast among other alphas… Probably because I don’t have a similar mindset to them, where they only want to knot an omega in heat for fun and to laugh about it later. And I’m honestly glad I don’t think like that.” He paused, looking up at the sky, the clouds reflecting in his irises. “I’ve always believed that omegas are just as important as alphas and betas, no matter who they are or…where they fall in society, I guess. Everyone should just get along, and make the world a better place, as lame as it sounds to a lot of people. But I want to somehow make a difference, and whenever I eventually find the right omega for me, I…I want to make them feel truly special. Treasured, even. Like they’re my whole life, because I’ve never felt that way, and I sure as hell don’t want that for anyone else. Not even my parents cared enough to stick around. They just made sure I could live on my own and then ditched me, only sending me a check every month to get me by, each one coming from different locations.” He shook his head slightly, before getting back to the point. “But anyway… I was actually being chased by some bigger alphas in freshman year because I intercepted when they were preying on an omega, and they got pissed. I managed to hide here, and they didn’t find me, so this place…it’s kind of a safe haven for me. When I come here, I can almost always forget my worries.” He gave a faint smile at that, before looking at Noctis, his expression worried. “Sorry if that was too much, but…I felt like sharing, y’know?”

‘ _O…kay…that’s…that’s surprising…_ ’

Noctis wasn’t expecting that in the least. Not that that was a bad thing; in fact, if what Prompto was saying was true, then he was fairly sure his father and even Ignis wouldn’t have any issues with them being friends. Gladio could potentially make it an issue, but hell, he was his Shield; it was his job to be suspicious of everything, he sometimes felt.

“…Little surprised you wanted to share it with someone you barely know,” he said with a small chuckle, before he turned serious. “Not that I don’t appreciate it, though.”

“Yeah, I understand…” Prompto nodded, sighing. “And I know we barely know each other, but I just…felt like telling you. You’re honestly my first friend, seeing as I’ve always been a misfit. And I hope we can _stay_ friends, for that matter.”

“No promises there,” Noctis murmured, but he was smiling. “But yeah, I’d like that, too.”

“Thanks a ton, Noct. I really do mean it,” the alpha smiled warmly.

“You’re welcome, Prom,” he said, not even noticing the nickname he’d just used. Prompto’s eyes widened slightly at the nickname, but he didn’t mention it, deciding that would be best, instead choosing to relax again as he settled back down and watched the clouds go by.

As they remained there for a while, Noctis considered things for a moment. He knew it was way too early to admit to him being an omega, and it might never be the right time, but it didn’t feel right for Prompto to tell him something so personal without telling something in return.

“…Remember how I said I had a ‘To-do’ list once I take over?”

“Hm? Yeah, what about it?” the blonde asked, sitting up to look at Noctis properly.

“Well…I want to give omegas more rights,” Noctis said, keeping his gaze at the sky above. “You know how they can’t even go to university without jumping through like a hundred hoops… that are on fire… I want to make it possible so they can do everything alphas and betas can do if they have the brains or brawn for it. Them being omegas shouldn’t be what holds them back from helping not just themselves, but everyone in Insomnia, too…”

“…” Prompto stared at the prince in pleasant surprise, before smiling softly. “You’re gonna be the best King we’ll have, just based on that,” he told Noctis honestly.

Noctis tried not to, but those words actually made him feel just a little bit embarrassed. He wasn’t used to having people praise his ideas like that, after all. Especially considering what his ideas entailed.

“Yeah, well…I’m not there **yet** … Hopefully not for a while, either,” he admitted. “Rather not have my dad knock off early…”

“Nah, I don’t blame you,” the alpha agreed. “You guys are really close, huh?”

“Yeah…” Noctis murmured as he placed a hand behind his head as a makeshift pillow. “He’s the only real family I have… Sure, Iggy and Gladio are…kinda like siblings, I guess…but it’s just not the same as being related to someone, yanno?”

“Yeah, I get that. I’m an only child, too, and my parents and I weren’t the closest, obviously,” Prompto replied.

“Yeah, you mentioned that… So why’d they even bother to have kids if they weren’t going to care, anyway? No offense, of course.”

“None taken, but no idea. Maybe they decided to abandon me because they realized it was way too late to _not_ be parents,” the blonde shrugged. “And maybe they feel somewhat guilty, hence the monthly checks.”

“Maybe…” Noctis murmured softly.

“I have no way of knowing, though,” Prompto sighed. “But I don’t let it bother me too much.”

They fell into silence then, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable one. Noctis tried not to, he really did, but gradually, his eyelids stopped raising themselves after a blink, and his breathing gradually evened out. Prompto chuckled softly at the sight, before settling back himself to watch the clouds go by.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

When Noctis was woken, it was to Prompto gently shaking his shoulder. “Hey, Noct, just got an email update about that omega incident from before,” he told the raven.

“Mmmm…?” Noctis hummed lazily as he rubbed at his eyes. “Yeah…?”

“Yeah, they got him to the medical ward before he was knotted, but too many alphas were affected… So they’re cancelling classes for the rest of the day,” the alpha informed him.

“Wow…that bad, huh?”

“Yeah, well, that one was intense in smell, at least to me…” Prompto murmured. “So he was probably on suppressants since puberty… I’ve heard that the longer an omega’s on suppressants, the more intense their heat is when it eventually _does_ hit.”

Noctis almost tensed at that news, though he couldn’t stop his heart from pounding against his ribcage. He had never heard anything about this happening to omegas, and he was pretty sure he'd heard most of it. However, if what Prompto said was actually true, what would happen to _him_ if, for whatever reason, he was off his suppressants?

That…was actually something he didn’t even want to consider.

“Ah. Right, of course…” he mumbled.

Noticing the slight change in his friend, the blonde looked at Noctis in concern. “Are you okay?” he asked worriedly.

“Fine…I’m fine…” Noctis mumbled softly, moving his hair out of his eyes. “So…anyway, since we have a free day now, what do you want to do?”

“I honestly have no idea. Usually, when I get home, I kinda just…go through some photos I’ve taken over the years, and see if there’s any way I can take even better ones,” Prompto admitted. “I like to take pictures in my spare time. But right now, that wouldn’t take much time, to be honest…”

“Really?” the prince asked curiously. “Huh…you’ll have to show me later, then.”

“Actually, I have my camera in my bag,” the alpha chuckled. “I always have it in case I come across something picture-worthy.” He then dug through his bag before pulling out what appeared to be a high-quality camera. “Here we go!”

“Damn…that’s fancy-looking,” Noctis chuckled.

“Yeah, I was lucky to have saved enough of the extra check money over the course of a year to get it for myself as a Christmas gift to me,” Prompto confessed, rubbing his neck in embarrassment. “I know it sounds selfish, but when you have no one to celebrate the holidays with…”

Noctis frowned at that, and he made a mental note to himself to change that this year. “They didn’t even show up for Christmas?” he asked rather than bring this up (didn’t want to ruin the surprise, after all).

“They’ve been gone since I finished middle school…” was the sighed-out answer.

The prince tried not to frown any more than he already was, and instead, he reached for the camera, carefully. “Okay…so you got any good shots on here?”

“I do!” the blonde grinned, perking up happily as he turned it on. “I’m always having to get new SD cards for it since I take so many sometimes.” He then turned it to some of his recent pictures, a vast majority of them being of the edge of the forest surrounding Insomnia at sunrise and sunset.

“Wow…that’s so cool,” Noctis breathed. He’d never seen any part of Insomnia like that before.

“You mean it?” Prompto blinked, honestly surprised. Whenever he’d shown someone his pictures, they didn’t show much interest. Hence why he’d stopped showing others.

“Yeah. I’ve never seen Insomnia like this. It’s really awesome.”

“Gee…thanks…” the alpha murmured gratefully, before looking at the prince with a kind smile. “I can make some prints of some, if you want.”

“Nice,” Noctis chuckled. “Could probably put some of these somewhere on the wall back home.”

“Really? I’d think you guys would have a lot of artwork and paintings in the Citadel,” Prompto said, before turning off the camera. “Well, no sweat, I’ll get some made for ya. You can take them home if you come over Sunday.”

“Sounds good,” Noctis said with a nod. He still didn’t see the point of telling Prompto he’d not be living in the Citadel for the duration of the school year just yet. He’d tell him later. Humming, he thought about what to do now, before an idea hit him. “Hey, how about we hit the arcades?”

“Sure! Haven’t been in a few weeks, actually, so that’s a good idea,” the blonde grinned.

“Alright. Let me call Iggy, then,” Noctis said with a smile as he pulled out his phone. He quickly dialed Ignis’s number and put the phone to his ear.

“Noct? Is everything all right?” Ignis asked as soon as he picked up. “You never call during school.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not every day that an omega goes into heat during class. I’m fine, before you ask,” Noctis interrupted, before Ignis could say anything. “Anyway, we’ve got the rest of the day off and were wondering if you could get us a ride to the arcades.”

“…All right. I’ll be there in about 10 minutes,” the beta replied, before ending the call.

“I take it he’s coming?” Prompto guessed as the raven pocketed his phone again.

“Yep. He’ll be here in about ten minutes.”

“Cool! Never thought I’d actually get to ride in the famous Regalia,” the alpha admitted. The prince merely chuckled as he led the way toward the spot where Ignis usually picked him up. Prompto followed after, an eager expression on his face as they went. As they reached the spot, Noctis reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, tapping a few things on it. And a few seconds later, a familiar theme song played from it. This caused the blonde to perk up, before he laughed.

“No way! You play King’s Knight, too?” he grinned.

That made Noctis look up curiously. “Well, duh. Who doesn’t?”

“Hardly anyone I’ve met,” Prompto replied. “Including a lot of people at school.”

“Seriously? Esh…”

“Hey, just makes it all that much better that we’re friends,” the alpha chuckled. “Now we can play King’s Knight together.”

“Heh. So how ‘bout we do a quick round while we wait?”

“Sounds good!” Prompto nodded, pulling out his phone and starting up King’s Knight. Like that, they stayed for the full ten minutes that Ignis needed to arrive, just having a general good time already. When the sandy blonde pulled up, the two teens looked up, the blonde appearing a bit awed by the sight of the Regalia.

“Hello, Noct,” Ignis greeted. “And this is…?”

“Prompto Argentum, sir,” Prompto said politely. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“At least your friend has manners, unlike some people do,” the beta smirked at Noctis, before looking at Prompto again. “It’s a pleasure.”

Noctis merely rolled his eyes, not bothering to say anything about that. Instead, he walked up to the Regalia after tucking his phone in his pocket. Prompto chuckled as he climbed into the back seat with the prince, putting his phone in his pocket as well before Ignis pulled away from the curb and began to drive to the arcade.

As they went, Noctis briefly stretched his legs out, before he turned to Prompto. “So… how’s it feel over there?”

“Feels great! This is the roomiest car I’ve ever been in,” the alpha chuckled.

“Good to know,” Noctis said with a smile as he got comfy. Prompto did the same, settling back in his seat with a hum.

As Ignis drove, he occasionally glanced back at Prompto in the rearview mirror. There was something different about this alpha, but it wasn’t bad. In fact, he could tell the blonde seemed like a genuine person, who sometimes wears his heart on his sleeve, so to speak. He’d have to get a better idea of who Prompto is, but he didn’t get a bad feeling about him. He actually felt quite good regarding the boy.

Soon enough, they arrived at the arcade, and the beta pulled over to park. “Here we are,” he announced.

“Thanks, Iggy,” the omega said as he opened the door and climbed out. “I’ll call when we need a ride back, alright?”

“All right. Take care,” Ignis nodded, waiting until Prompto was out as well and had shut the door before driving off again.

“He seems nice. A little stiff, but nice,” Prompto commented once he was gone.

“Yep. That’s Iggy for ya,” the prince said calmly as he turned to the arcade’s entrance. “Shall we?”

“Definitely,” the blonde smiled, following Noctis inside. The inside of the arcade was a bustle of activity, though hardly as much as it was during weekends or after school hours. Which meant they could get to certain cabinets a lot easier than usual. “Nice, not too bad in here for once,” Prompto commented.

“Agreed. So…which do we do first?”

“I dunno, actually… You take first pick.”

“Alright…let’s have a race, then.”

“Sounds good,” the alpha nodded, following the raven to the racing game.

Thankfully, the game was free, so they got into the seats and prepped the game for the race. As they finished, Noctis smirked. “Ready to lose?”

“I believe that’s my line,” Prompto snorted.

“You wish,” the prince chuckled as he turned ahead to the screen. The blonde did the same, and they started the game.

The moment the race started, Noctis slammed down on the gas pedal, sending his digital car flying forward and across the track ahead of Prompto’s. Prompto gave a startled yelp, before stomping on his gas pedal and shooting after Noctis. The noise made Noctis laugh, even as he went around the first corner at full speed with practiced ease.

“Six, man! What the hell do you do, practice here during all your free time?!” the alpha demanded as he sped after Noctis as best as he could.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” the prince chuckled as his car rushed down the track, before he hit the brakes as he went into the next turn, drifting into the other side. And then he slammed down onto the gas pedal again, speeding off before Prompto could even get close.

With a determined growl, Prompto copied him, streaking along after Noctis still. Not that Prompto was any closer to Noctis, as the prince was already halfway down the track. The blonde continued along, but he already knew he was gonna lose, sadly. They finally managed to finish, Noctis winning, of course, and Prompto rolled his eyes at the raven before smirking.

“Let’s see how you do against me in a shooting game, then,” he suggested.

“Oh? Someone’s confident,” the omega chuckled.

“Well, you’ll just have to see, now won’t you?” the alpha retorted as he got up from his seat. “This one’s on me,” he said when they reached one of them, pulling out some gil and putting it in the slot before picking up one of the guns.

Noctis hummed as he picked up the gun. Much as he played games in the arcade, shooters had never really been his favorite. He did play them on occasion, but not very often. So he had a feeling he was going to lose already, but he wasn’t going to bring that up.

As soon as the game started, Prompto rapidly took aim and fired repeatedly, putting his past few years of gun training into practice. Each time he pulled the trigger, he hit each and every enemy. He was a definite sharpshooter.

‘ _Holy shit…! He’s good!_ ’ Noctis thought, even as he tried to shoot down as many targets as he could. However, he already knew he wasn’t going to win this one. Prompto gave an exhilarated laugh as he continued to fire away. It had been a while since he’d played a shooting game at the arcades, but now he remembered why they were his favorite.

Soon enough, the game ended when there were no more enemies to kill, and Prompto whooped as the screen flashed “NEW HIGH SCORE” in bright, bold letters.

“Nice! Beat my old high score,” he grinned.

“Damn… How’d you get so good?”

“Well, if there was at least one thing good about my parents leaving, it was that my old man left his gun somehow, and I kinda…just…taught myself by watching on movies and games, and followed examples, as weird as it sounds,” the blonde admitted, rubbing his neck out of embarrassment. “I thought I got kinda rusty since I haven’t been out to the shooting range in a while, but I guess not.” At this, he laughed.

“Looks like it,” Noctis chuckled. “Alright, what shall we do next?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure,” Prompto confessed with a sheepish look.

“Hmm… Alright; let’s have a look around then to see if we can find anything, shall we?”

“Sounds like a plan,” the alpha agreed. They soon found some games to occupy their time, but eventually, it started to become late afternoon, an it was time for the boys to go their separate ways home.

“Damn, it’s already after four,” Prompto commented when he checked his phone. “I’d best get home so I can get those prints made for ya.”

“How about I get Ignis to drive you home? Doubt he’d mind…”

“Nah, it’s fine,” the blonde assured him casually, even though he nearly panicked. He didn’t want Noctis to find out they would be living in the same complex yet, after all. “I’ll walk like I normally do when I go home from school.” He then picked up his bag from by the game they were at, before starting to leave. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Noct!” And with that, he left with a grin and a wave.

Though he was a bit surprised at the sudden departure, Noctis shrugged and brought out his phone after waving his friend goodbye. He still had a meeting with his dad to do, after all. It wasn’t long before Ignis arrived, and once the omega was seated inside the Regalia, he looked at Noctis curiously.

“Did Prompto already leave?” he inquired.

“Said he’d walk home,” Noctis said simply as he got into the car. The beta didn’t reply, but he was certain the alpha had had a good reason to not want a ride home. When they arrived back at the Citadel, Ignis let Noctis out at the entrance, before driving to the garage to park the Regalia.

As Ignis drove off, Noctis headed inside to find his father. It took a few moments to do so, but when he did, the King was hard at work. “Dad?”

“Hm? Oh, hello, Noctis,” Regis greeted kindly, setting aside his paperwork. “Ignis informed me that an omega went into heat at school this morning. Was everything okay?”

“Yeah… Was a bit of a surprise, though…” Noctis admitted as he moved over to take a seat.

“I can imagine,” his father murmured. “So, what did you want to speak to me about?”

At this point, Noctis bit his lip briefly. “Well…I…I actually made a friend at school,” he started out.

“Really now? And who is this friend of yours?” Regis questioned, a pleased yet curious look on his face.

“His…his name is Prompto… But here’s the thing: he’s… I’m pretty sure at this point that he’s an alpha,” Noctis admitted.

“Is he good to you, at least? I would like to think so, if you’re already considering him a friend,” the King said. “It doesn’t matter what he is, as long as he’s a good person.”

“He is, and him being alpha isn’t really a problem… Well…not really…” Noctis sighed softly, running a hand through his hair. “He’s…invited me over to his house this Sunday…”

“As long as you don’t see any problems with doing so, my son, I don’t either.”

“I don’t, but…” the prince started, pausing when his voice failed him temporarily. “…What if…what if my heat hits while I’m there? I know I’m on suppressants, but…”

“You haven’t had any issues in the entire time you’ve been on them, Noctis, so I wouldn’t fret,” Regis assured the prince.

“I know! But…what if—”

“Noctis, you know what you’re doing. If you don’t feel comfortable going to your friend’s home, then don’t. It’s completely your choice. However, dwelling on what _could_ happen will just stress you out that much more and make you not want to trust Prompto,” his father said wisely. “If you’re truly friends with him, then you need to have faith in him.”

“I…” Noctis stopped whatever argument he had ready, and considered things for a moment. Yes, he did trust Prompto, and he was pretty sure that the blonde wouldn’t try to harm him on the off-chance that his heat _did_ get through his suppressants. It was more that he didn’t trust himself. Especially with what Prompto had told him earlier that day. “I _do_ trust him…but…”

“You don’t trust yourself,” the King guessed knowingly. “Noctis, if you have any doubts, you’re always free to leave. In fact, if you trust this friend of yours enough to not question him on the off chance you were to go into heat…you may want to consider telling him the truth, just so he’s aware.”

“…right…” Noctis murmured, wringing his hands in his jacket. “…Dad?”

“Yes?”

“Prompto said that…the longer an omega is on suppressants…the worse their heat gets…” he murmured.

“…That is true, unfortunately,” Regis sighed after a moment. “When an omega stops taking them after being on them for a long period, they become increasingly desperate for relief.”

“…Oh…”

“As long as you don’t stop taking them until you’re ready for an alpha, though, you should be fine,” his father promised.

“Right…right, of course…” the prince murmured, reaching up to hold his arm.

“Try not to worry so much, Noctis. I know full well it’s much easier said than done, but do consider my suggestion, will you?” Regis told the raven seriously.

“Yeah… I…I’ll think about it…”

“Thank you. Did you want to talk about anything else?” the King asked kindly.

“Ah…no…not at this moment.”

“All right. Then go ahead and take some time to yourself. You look like you need it,” Regis told him. Noctis nodded gratefully and stood up from his seat. After nodding goodbye to his father, he headed out of the study and to his room. Just as he was about to open the door, though, his phone went off, signaling a new text.

“The hell…?” he murmured, pulling out his phone and unlocking it.

 

**???: Heya Noct! How ya doin’, buddy? It’s Prompto, btw.**

 

Once he took in the meaning of the words, Noctis chuckled softly. After adjusting his contact information for the number, he stepped into his room to reply.

 

**Me: Eh. So-so. Usual busywork here. Yourself?**

**Prom: Always busy, too, weird as it seems. :P But anyway, just working on those prints for ya.**

 

This made Noctis smile as he moved over to his bed and drop back onto it as he typed.

 

**Me: Nice. You bringing them tomorrow or gonna wait til Sunday so I can pass ‘em to Iggy right away without wrinkles?**

**Prom: You get to wait til Sunday! And your dad said you can come over?! SWEET!! :D**

**Me: Yeah. Surprisingly with little effort, too. So I guess you’ll be stuck with me this Sunday. Think you can handle that? ;-P**

**Prom: Dude, I can handle you anytime! Besides, I have a feeling we’ll be doing more than just a tutoring session~ XD**

 

Those words actually made Noctis splutter for a moment, his cheeks definitely feeling a lot hotter than prior. However, he quickly quenched it down as he typed with a small smirk.

 

**Me: You know… I could probably have you thrown in the dungeons for all those innuendos…**

 

X*X(Prompto)X*X

Prompto blushed a deep crimson at the message, his previous reply having meant to be completely innocent.

 

**Me: Noooooct! I wasn’t hinting at anything! Honest! \ >o</**

**Noct: XD Relax! It’s just a joke.**

 

However, before Prompto could calm down entirely…

 

**Noct: We don’t actually have dungeons, so you’d just get tossed in a jail cell.**

**Me: WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO YOUR FRIEND?!?!**

**Noct: XD**

**Me: -pout- C’mon, man! You are vicious!**

**Noct: Fiiiine. You’re no fun…**

**Me: I’m all sorts of fun! You’re the one who’s no fun, threatening me and shit. What I was TRYING to say before was we could play video games AND study! But not at the same time.**

**Noct: If you say so, Prom. If you say so. XP**

**Me: I do say so! XP**

**Noct: Ah… Looks like Iggy’s done with dinner. I’ll see you tomorrow, alright?**

**Me: Sounds good. See you then, Noct!**

 

Prompto watched at Noctis read his last message, before logging off. Smiling to himself, the alpha couldn’t help but feel a certain warmth in his chest from just talking to the raven. Sighing, he then hauled himself off his bed before going to fix something quick for dinner.


	3. Chapter 3

X*X(That Friday, After School)X*X

Finally, the weekend had arrived! Prompto grinned as he and Noctis headed outside the school building, where Ignis was waiting for the prince.

“Looks like Ignis is here with your ride,” he chuckled. “Is he ever late?”

“I have yet to see it happen,” Noctis chuckled with a smirk. Prompto chuckled as well, before starting his usual walk home.

“All right, I’ll see you Sunday, Noct! Have a good one!” he called as he left. Noctis nodded as he waved Prompto off, after which he climbed into the car.

Once inside, Ignis asked, “Eager for your moving day tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” the omega said with a nod. “Little nervous, too, to be honest…”

“I’m certain you’ll be fine. Regardless, you know we’re all a phone call away,” the beta assured him.

“Yeah… thanks, Iggy.”

“Anytime,” Ignis smiled faintly, and it wasn’t too long later that they arrived at the Citadel.

 

X*X(Saturday)X*X

Prompto watched with an eager smile from his window, peaking through the blinds as he watched Noctis move his stuff into his new apartment. As much as he wanted to go see the prince, he knew he had to wait. Timing was everything in this case, and the perfect time would be later, after Noctis had finished moving in. Eventually, even though it took a few hours, the raven finally went inside, appearing tired, and Prompto knew that was his chance. He quickly snagged up his phone, and shot Noctis a text.

 

**Me: Heyaz!**

 

It took a few moments for Noctis to reply, probably because he had been relaxing in his new apartment.

 

**Noct: Hey. ‘Sup?**

**Me: Not much, you busy right now?**

**Noct: Not really. Just chillin’ for now.**

**Me: Cool. Hey, I’m gonna FaceTime you really quick, okay? ‘Sides, I wanna see you! XP**

**Noct: Huh? What for??**

 

Prompto laughed to himself, before making the FaceTime call. “Hey, man!”

“ _Hey,_ ” Noctis said simply, and Prompto could tell he was splayed out on the bed, given by the black blanket he was laying on.

“Hey, so, I got a new neighbor, and I was thinking of going over to introduce myself. What say you?” the alpha inquired. “I know it’s random, but I just wasn’t sure.”

Noctis looked at him a bit strangely in response. “ _…and you had to FaceTime me for that becaaaauuuse…? It’s your neighbor, not mine._ ”

“Yeah, well, I also wanted to see you,” Prompto shrugged. “All right, well, I’m gonna go say hi. I’ll be back in a bit.” He then hung up, before snickering a little as he got up from his bed. He pocketed his phone, and then headed out of his apartment…to Noctis’s right next door. Knocking on the door, he waited, a cheeky grin in place.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

Noctis hummed curiously at the sudden knock on his door, blinking, before he groaned and sat up. “Seriously? Why now?” he grumbled. It took another knock on his door to get him up and moving, though, groaning on annoyance. “Coming, coming,” he grumbled, just as he reached the door. As soon as he opened it, though…

“Heya, Noct!” came a very familiar voice.

Noctis almost jumped out of his skin at the greeting, and he blinked in alarm, before the situation dawned on him. “Wha…?! Prompto?! What are you…?!”

“Is that any way to greet your new neighbor?” Prompto teased. “Not my fault you just happened to move in next door.”

“…Wait are you serious??”

“I wouldn’t joke about it, dude!” the blonde laughed. “Besides, it just means we get to see each other more, which I really don’t mind.” He then paused, uncertain. “Unless you do…?”

Noctis blinked, twice, before he laughed. “Course I don’t mind!” he chuckled, before he stepped inside. “Well, come on in.”

“Thanks, man,” Prompto smiled, stepping inside. He gave a low, impressed whistle when he saw the interior of the apartment. “Damn, much nicer than my place.”

Most of the interior was done all in black, with a few exceptions of dark to light gray in between, and the furniture set up around the living room area alone looked more expensive than all of Prompto’s combined. There was also a hefty case off to the far wall with what had to be at least 40 to 50 or so games, all of them lined up in alphabetical order.

“Ah, well…Iggy found most of the stuff. Can’t take too much credit there.”

“Still, I bet you’d have pitched a bitch fit if anything had ended up pink,” the alpha snickered.

“Oh yeah,” Noctis chuckled. “Thankfully he knows me better than to try that…”

“I don’t blame ya. I would’ve, too,” Prompto snorted. “Seriously, though, just how many games are in that case?”

“Oh…a few…” Noctis said dismissively. “Couldn’t take everything with me, unfortunately…”

“Six, man! What’d you do, pick your top 50 or something to bring here?” the blonde asked incredulously.

“Yeah, kinda.”

“Well, you apparently have a much more extensive collection than me,” Prompto said, shaking his head a little in disbelief. “Anyway, want me to bring over the prints early, then? That way you have some more color in here?”

“Heh…sounds like a plan,” Noctis said with a smirk. “Could probably use it…”

“Awesome,” the alpha smiled. “Well, let’s go back to my place. I’m gonna need a bit of help, ‘cause I made four of them.”

“Sure thing,” Noctis chuckled out as he followed after. Prompto led Noctis over to his apartment, opening the door without having to unlock it, which showed just how comfortable he was with the place. Besides, he had just gone next door.

“Here’s my humble abode,” the blonde told Noctis as they walked in. “Nothing fancy like yours, of course, but it’s home for me.”

The living room was very simply furnished, the furniture being colored in mismatched, faded colors, which really showed their age. There was a TV against the wall under the far window, along with a PlayStation4 underneath on the entertainment center. What stood out the most, however, were the several prints of Prompto’s photos hung up on the walls, bringing a pleasant touch of color to the apartment.

“Nice. Looks cool,” the omega admitted

“Eh, yeah, but my furniture isn’t exactly comfy. I try and avoid the armchair because it has a painful spot on it, so I end up on the couch all the time,” Prompto shrugged. “Here, let’s grab the prints. They’re in my room.” He led the way to his room, which had a surprisingly large, soft-looking bed in it, large enough for two if desired. Grabbing two of the prints from where they were propped against the wall, the alpha handed them to Noctis. “I picked some of the really good ones for you.”

Noctis smiled as he took the prints from Prompto, taking a few moments to look them through. “Awesome. These’ll look good up on the walls.”

“I’d like to think so,” the alpha smiled, snagging up the other two prints. “Let’s take these to your place.”

“Let’s,” Noctis agreed as he led the way back to his apartment. Once the pair had gotten back to the raven’s apartment and had hung up the prints on the walls, Prompto gave a satisfied grin.

“Looks better in here now,” he commented.

“Definitely,” the prince agreed with a nod.

“So, want to get some lunch? I’ll buy, my treat for both startling you earlier and as a welcoming treat,” the blonde offered.

“Heh. Sounds good.” Before he headed out, though, Noctis pulled out his phone and fired off a quick message to Ignis.

 

**Me: Hey Iggy. I’m heading out with Prompto to get some lunch.**

**Specs: He found out you were there so soon? How?**

**Me: Turns out he’s my next door neighbor. XD**

**Specs: Ah. Interesting. Well, take care, and let me know if something comes up.**

**Me: Will do.**

 

Chuckling, Noctis then put his phone back in his pocket. “Right, let’s go.”

“We’ll just hang out at my place. I’m gonna order from that pizza place I told you about before. Fortunately, they deliver!” Prompto laughed, leading Noctis into his apartment.

“Isn’t it a little _early_ for pizza, though?” the omega chuckled as he followed after, making sure to lock the door behind him as he went.

“Hell, man, it’s never a bad time for pizza!” the alpha grinned, pulling out his phone to place the order. “I’ve had leftover pizza for breakfast some mornings, for fuck’s sake.”

“Seriously? Iggy’d kill me if I ever even considered that!” Noctis laughed as he got himself comfortable on the couch.

“I can see that. He’s seems very prim and proper,” Prompto agreed. “What do you want on yours?”

“Better question; what do they have?”

“If you can think it, they have it for toppings. They even order in behemoth meat to put on their pizzas. And that’s surprisingly _really_ good,” the blonde told him with a smirk.

“Behemoth… hoo boy… Gladio’ll want a slice of that I’m betting…” Noctis chuckled. “Anyway, I’m open for just about anything. Except—”

“Yeah, yeah, no veggies,” Prompto nodded. “All right, we’ll share a behemoth meat pizza, then.” And then he dialed the number. “Hey, Marino, it’s Prompto. …I know, it’s not my usual day! I’m actually buying for a friend. …Yeah, so we’ll have a large pizza with behemoth and extra cheese. …15 minutes? Sweet, thanks, man.” He then hung up and looked at Noctis. “You heard that one, 15 minutes. Can you wait that long for deliciousness?”

“Pretty sure I can… Can you?” the prince taunted.

“Of course I can! Besides, we can keep busy with something on my PS4 in the meantime,” the alpha smirked, going over to his stack of games. “What kind of games do you normally play?”

“Eh. I prefer to try every game at least once…” Noctis admitted. “Though I’ve currently been busy hunting down Templars…”

“Hmm… Well, we could always try playing Okami. We can take turns here and there, but for me, it’s a fun game,” Prompto offered.

“Think I tried the Wii version of that… Had to stop coz my hand was hurting after only 30 minutes of playing…”

“Well, I managed to get the new HD PS4 version last spring, so we’ll play that,” the blonde smiled, popping in the disc.

“Not sure I’m gonna like it, to be honest…” the prince said as Prompto plopped down on the couch next to him. “I feel like the HD takes away from its charm…”

“Eh, I can’t always tell the difference, actually, so I wouldn’t know,” Prompto admitted as he started up the game. Noctis hummed as he watched Prompto move through the different menus. The alpha then passed Noctis the controller once they were through the intro, saying, “You’ve played through this part before, I’m sure, but it’s different with PlayStation.”

Noctis hummed in agreement, quietly getting in position before he began moving around, trying to figure out what the controls were like. “Hm… controls a lot better, yeah…”

“Definitely. I’ve heard what you were talking about, with the Wii version being more difficult with the controls, but I’ve always played the PS version,” Prompto commented.

“Might’ve been better to start on, then…” Noctis murmured softly, as he moved the white wolf into the portal. The blonde watched with a small, content smile on his face, until there was a knock on the door.

“Ah, that must be the pizza,” he said, getting up and grabbing his wallet before going to the door. When he answered, it was, indeed, Marino, and he grinned. “Heya Marino! All right, how much do I owe ya for this one?”

“Nothing, bud. Mama says it’s on the house. She said she’s happy you have a friend now,” Marino told him, making Prompto blink in surprise.

“Really? Please tell her I said thanks a ton, then!” Prompto told the beta gratefully.

“Anytime, brother,” he chuckled, passing over the box. “See you!”

“See ya!” the alpha nodded, before closing the door once Marino had turned and left. “Well, that’s new…” he murmured as he returned.

Noctis cocked an eyebrow at Prompto as he sat down again. “What was that all about?”

“I’m…kinda a regular customer, as you figured, but I didn’t expect Mama Meg to make this a freebie,” Prompto admitted. “Everyone just calls her that, by the way. She’s got, like, four kids, and they all work at the restaurant, Marino being her oldest. But anyway, they know I’m alone, so I guess Mama was being generous.”

“…Okay, huh…” After a moment though… “So what’s with the ‘finally getting a friend’?”

“You’re my first friend, simple as that. I’ve never had any friends growing up…until you,” the blonde shrugged, though the motion was a bit awkward.

“…Seriously? Not one?”

“Not a one. I told you before, because of my mentality with omegas, I was always an outcast. Even the betas were afraid to be friends with me out of fear of being bullied,” Prompto sighed.

“…” Noctis regarded him for a few more moments, before he smiled. “Well, guess that’s one thing we have in common… if for the completely opposite reasons, huh?”

“Yeah, true,” the alpha chuckled softly. After a couple of moments, though, he said, “I’ll grab us each a plate, and then we can watch a movie or something.”

“Sounds good. Wouldn’t want to mess up by jumping off an edge somewhere while eating.”

“Definitely not,” Prompto laughed, before getting up and getting them each a plate. “Oh, what do you want to drink? I got cola, water, milk…and that’s it.”

“Cola’s fine, thanks.”

“Roger that.” The blonde soon returned, handing Noctis a plate and a can of soda before snagging the controller and switching to Netflix. “Anything in particular you wanna watch?”

“Hmm… How ‘bout we watch Castlevania? I’ve heard a lot of good things about it,” Noctis offered.

“Sure, I guess. Blood and gore isn’t usually my thing, but hey, you’re my guest,” Prompto nodded, already internally cringing at the thought of watching it, even as he started it up.

The prince didn’t seem to notice it, as he focused instead on the screen as it gradually started up. “…Hey, Lisa,” he said casually as a blonde woman appeared on screen, spearing a bat on her knife with little effort.

“I’ve never even watched this. How’d you know her name if you haven’t, either?” the alpha frowned curiously.

“I know the games,” Noctis said simply. “Think I played all of ‘m enough to completely memorize where everything’s at…”

“Well there ya go,” Prompto murmured as he popped open the box, allowing the lovely aroma of hot, cheesy and meaty pizza fill their noses. “You take first pick,” he told the raven.

Noctis glanced down at the pizza for a moment, before he reached over and picked one of the slices, tugging it onto his plate, before he turned his gaze back to the TV. Prompto did the same once Noctis had settled back against the couch, and lightly blew on it to cool it a little so he didn’t burn his tongue before taking a bite.

“Always great, but the behemoth meat makes it even better,” he mumbled around the mouthful.

As Noctis also took his first bite, he gave a small surprised sound as the taste hit him. “Holy shit! This is really good!”

“Told ya!” the blonde laughed.

“Yeah! Hoo boy, Iggy’s gonna want this recipe for sure…”

“Hah! I highly doubt he’d get it. Mama Meg keeps her dough, sauce, and seasoning recipes top secret,” Prompto told him. “So he’ll have to improvise if he tries.”

“Oh, trust me, he will,” Noctis said, before he focused back on the screen. “…Hoo boy… There it goes…” The alpha looked at the screen as well, before wrinkling his nose a bit as he saw Lisa being burned at the stake.

“Geez, so dark…” he muttered as he took another bite of pizza.

“Middle ages…so yeah… That’s what happens when people think you’re a witch…” Noctis sighed softly.

“Why did the past have to be so twisted…? Man, people were blind back then…” Prompto sighed as well.

“Yeah…” That was all the prince said as they continued to watch in silence.

…That is, until Dracula released hell (literally) on the people of Wallachia.

“…Holy crap he is piiiiiissed…” Noctis droned as he watched the carnage happen. The blonde was starting to get squeamish, and he had to look away after a minute so he wouldn’t get nauseous.

Noctis hummed mid-bite as he turned to regard Prompto. “You okay?”

“Yeah, just…like I said earlier, not one for blood and gore,” Prompto mumbled. “Sorry…”

Noctis sighed a bit. “Wanna watch something else?”

“You sure? I won’t change it if you want to keep watching…”

“Hey, if it makes you uncomfortable, I’d rather watch something we can both enjoy.”

The alpha blinked in pleasant surprise, before smiling gratefully at his friend. “Thanks, Noct,” he murmured, before exiting out of the show. “Let’s just watch something funny, then.” He then put on some comedy special for a comedian he’d watched before.

As they continued to watch, Noctis continued to munch on his pizza, gaze trained on the TV silently. However, as he sat there, he briefly glanced over to Prompto and, not for the first time, wondered if he should just be honest about what he was.

But while he didn’t want there to be secrets between them, he still wasn’t sure if he was ready to share THAT big of a secret just yet… It wasn’t something he could ever take back, after all.

Shaking it off, he quietly turned back to the comedy they’d been watching. Prompto laughed occasionally as they watched, not having noticed Noctis’s thoughtfulness at all, until it was finally over. He stretched out against the couch, his shirt riding up and showing some pale, silvery lines along the muscle on his stomach.

Spotting the lines, Noctis quirked an eyebrow, before he reached out and poked his stomach. The blonde jumped a little, surprised, before he realized what the prince had seen. He lowered his gaze to his lap quietly, before sighing.

“…They’re stretch marks…” he mumbled. “They’re a daily reminder of how I used to be.” Shaking his head a little, he added, “Not something I’m particularly proud of…”

“…” Noctis sighed softly. “Hey… we all got something we’re not so proud of, I’m sure.”

“Well, what sucks about them is that they aren’t gonna fade or go away. Ever…”

The prince regarded him for a moment, before he snorted. “So quit seeing them as marks of ‘shame’ and more as marks of ‘accomplishment’,” he said simply. “Stop thinking about what you _were_ before and more about what you are _now_.”

Prompto stared at Noctis in pleasant surprise, before finally giving a small smile. “…You give better advice than I thought, but seriously, thanks. I really mean that.”

“What do you mean ‘than you thought’?!” the prince demanded with a small frown, though he was smirking in amusement.

“I meant that I didn’t take you as one to give the best advice, but I guess I was definitely wrong,” the alpha laughed lightly.

“Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence,” Noctis mumbled, shoving Prompto to his shoulder.

“Hey, I said you proved me wrong!” Prompto laughed, with Noctis joining shortly after.

“Anyway; since we’re now done with lunch, shall we get back to gaming?”

“Sure thing,” the blonde nodded, switching back to Okami. “Back on you, my friend. I’ll take over for a bit after Hana Valley.”

“Alright,” Noctis said with a nod, as he picked up the controller and began to play. They continued to play until it was close to when they would normally eat dinner, and then Noctis’s phone began to go off.

“Hm?” Noctis hummed curiously, before he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Once he saw who it was, he chuckled and unlocked it. “Sup, Iggy?”

“ _Hello, Noct. How has the day been in your new apartment?_ ” Ignis inquired.

“Well…to be fair, I’ve spent most of the day in Prompto’s…but it’s been good,” Noctis said with a small smirk as he glanced at Prompto. The alpha merely smirked back, knowing full well Noctis wouldn’t complain about it.

“ _As long as things are going well, then I see no reason to worry about you too much. Unless you need me to fix dinner for you…?_ ”

“Actually, was wondering if you could anyway. After all; I don’t think Prom’s had a taste of your cooking yet,” Noctis said cheekily. Prompto rolled his eyes at the remark, but smiled nonetheless.

“ _I’m sure I can whip something up. Anything in particular?_ ” Ignis questioned.

“Hmm… how ‘bout Peppery Daggerquil Rice?” the prince offered, though he did briefly look to Prompto to see if that was okay. The blonde nodded almost eagerly, as he had a thing for spice.

“ _I’ll be over with the ingredients shortly, then,_ ” the beta replied.

“Sounds good. See ya soon.”

After he hung up, he turned to Prompto. “Let’s go to my place now. He’s gonna cook it on the spot.”

“Awesome,” Prompto grinned, and then put his PS4 into rest mode before heaving himself off the couch. “‘Sides, I’m sure your couch is a lot more comfortable. And if it is, you’ll have to expect me over more often.” He gave a chuckle at the words.

Noctis laughed as he got up. “Right then; let’s go, shall we? You can check if there’s any games you wanna try when we’re there, too.”

“Okay,” the alpha nodded, following Noctis back to his apartment, making sure to lock up before he left. “I’ll be honest, I haven’t had Daggerquil Rice in years. My mom used to make it when I was younger, but she stopped making it for some reason when I was 12.”

“That so?” the omega hummed, before he smirked. “Well, you're gonna like Iggy’s version, I’m sure. No offense to your mom, but I don’t think there’s anyone out there who can top Ignis’s cooking.”

“Sounds like it. What’s funny is my mom used to joke that her mom should have been outlawed from a kitchen, she was such a bad cook, so Mom had to teach herself,” Prompto laughed.

“That bad?” Noctis laughed as he opened the door to his own apartment, letting Prompto in first.

The blonde went inside, saying, “It sounded like it. Never met her myself, so I wouldn’t know.”

Humming, Noctis shut the door and walked toward his games cabinet. “Right… so let’s see here…” he murmured in thought, going through the list. After a bit, he smirked and pulled out one of the games. “You ever play ‘NieR: Automata’?”

“Never even heard of it, so no,” Prompto answered.

“I’m pretty sure you’ll like it,” Noctis said with a chuckle as he went to put it in the PS4. “Would be better to start on a new profile though… This game basically starts _immediately_.”

“Okay, whatever you think is best,” the alpha chuckled, plopping down on the couch. “Damn, this _is_ comfier than mine! You’re gonna have to expect me over more often now.”

Noctis laughed softly as he settled on the couch, quickly making a profile for his guest, before passing him the controller. “Word of advice; the genre of game will keep changing.”

“All right, well, it’s a good thing I can adapt quick,” Prompto shrugged as he started the game.

Noctis merely chuckled as he watched him start up with a small cutscene in which a group of fighter jets (or what appeared to be fighter jets, anyway) flying in formation towards their goal. “…You can move already.”

“Geez, you weren’t kidding,” the blonde muttered as he started to move his character.

No sooner had he started moving, though, or a thin white line appeared vertically across the screen. Prompto didn’t get the chance to ask about it, though, since barely a second later the line solidified into a laser beam that took out the squadron’s leader with a pained screech.

“Beware the lines,” was all the warning Noctis gave him after.

“Oh man…” Prompto groaned, before continuing on.

Noctis merely chuckled as he watched the rest of the squad get shot down as well. “R1 is your shoot button and R2 is dodge. I suggest you use them,” he said as the mechanical enemies began appearing on screen…with large, though slow-moving, balls of red energy moving towards Prompto’s character.

“Right,” the alpha nodded, before following Noctis’s advice as he played.

As Prompto continued shooting the enemies down, with his own shots almost easily taking out the red orbs as well, the last members of his squad were shot down, leaving Prompto on his own.

“And then there was only 2B,” Noctis said simply.

“Good grief…”

Suddenly, though, the camera angle shifted so that the character was shown from a 3rd person perspective rather than top down, though still from one angle, as more enemies started coming in as the jet shifted into what looked like a mech. “Square is normal attack, triangle is heavy attack.”

“Yeah, I know this one. I’ve played Deadpool like this,” Prompto chuckled.

The prince merely chuckled, when there was a knock at the door. “Ah…must be Iggy,” he said as he got up and headed for the door to let his advisor in. The blonde paused the game, watching for Ignis to come in with Noctis. When Noctis came back with the beta following, Prompto waved in greeting.

“Hi Ignis,” he smiled.

“Hello, Prompto,” the sandy blonde nodded. “I certainly hope you’re okay with spice.”

“I love spicy food,” the blonde laughed.

“Good to know,” Ignis smirked faintly, before heading to the kitchen to start making dinner.

“Nice,” Noctis chuckled out as he moved back over to the couch. Prompto smiled at Noctis as he joined him, and then resumed playing the game.

It didn’t take long for Prompto to reach the next area—where his mech suit got totaled and a white-haired girl in what looked like a maid outfit with a piece of cloth covering her eyes popped out and rolled to her feet.

“There she is,” Noctis chuckled.

“Different,” the alpha commented, continuing on.

The prince didn’t say anything, watching as the gameplay, once again, shifted. This time into what appeared to be a hack and slash game. However, after a while, when Prompto dodged, Noctis smirked and said, “Upskirt shot.”

“Oh man, come on!” Prompto laughed, seeing what Noctis had.

“Blame Yoko Taro,” Noctis chuckled out.

“It’s whatever, but still, sheesh!” the blonde sighed with a chuckle, shaking his head.

The prince merely smiled as the blonde continued playing. Eventually, after Prompto had mowed through several dozen machines, as well as beating some sort of buzzsaw boss, he was saved by a different mech suit.

“Hey, Nines,” Noctis quipped. Prompto didn’t comment, just focusing on playing for the time being. Unfortunately, he didn’t get much further before a delectable smell began wafting from the kitchen.

“Holy shit, that smells awesome!” the alpha exclaimed, pausing the game.

“I should certainly hope so,” Ignis chuckled as he brought out dinner for them.

“Thanks a ton, Ignis!” Prompto told the beta with a grin.

“Of course.”

Laughing lightly, Noctis climbed off the couch and moved toward the dinner table. “You coming?”

“Right behind ya,” the blonde chuckled, getting off the couch as well and following the raven to the dinner table.

“Right; take a seat wherever you like,” Noctis said with a smile as he took his seat. Prompto, of course, sat beside Noctis on his right, and once they were seated, Ignis gave them their food.

“Enjoy your food,” he smiled slightly. “I’d best head back, but try not to stay up too late, Noct.”

“I know, I know. Thanks, Iggy.”

“Anytime,” the beta nodded, before leaving.

“I’m surprised he didn’t make himself some,” the alpha remarked before taking a bite. “Six, this is fucking delicious!”

The prince laughed softly as he took his own bite. “Told you,” he chuckled.

“Hell, I never doubted you, I’m just glad to be able to taste his cooking for myself,” Prompto grinned. Noctis merely smiled as he turned back to his own food. The blonde ate contently, thoroughly enjoying the slight, spicy burn the meal was leaving in the back of his throat. When he was done, he leaned back in his seat, smiling at Noctis. “That had to be one of the best meals I’ve had.”

The comment made Noctis chuckle as he finished off his drink. “Guess you’ll have to come by more often, huh?”

“Well, that shouldn’t be an issue, since I’m right next door,” Prompto smirked.

Noctis merely laughed. “True…so…back to the game?”

“Sounds good,” the alpha nodded.

Like that, the two friends went back to the game. And despite how Noctis told himself to keep half an eye on the clock, as Prompto finally got past the first boss fight and made it down into the open world of NieR: Automata, doing both the normal and side quests, he sort of, maybe forgot about it. And it wasn’t until they both started yawning that they realized they’d been playing until midnight.

After laughing the matter off and saving the game, they finally parted ways outside in the halls, promising each other to meet up tomorrow.

As he finally shut the door and headed off to his bedroom, Noctis couldn’t help but smile and drop down on his bed without bothering to change out of his clothes. He fell asleep that night, thinking on the amount of fun they’d have tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the belated Valentine's Day post, but I'm getting over a cold. -crosses fingers- Hopefully I feel better soon!


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, Prompto woke up around 9:45. Sitting up with a yawn, he felt a small thrill of excitement as he thought about the fun he and Noctis would have today. Smiling to himself at the thought, the alpha flicked on the radio as he went to go shower, leaving the bathroom door open so he could hear it. As he showered, there was an announcement that caught his ear: Noctis’s birthday on August 30th. That was later this month!

Immediately, Prompto rushed through the rest of his shower, before he wrapped a towel around his waist and scrambled to his phone to text Noctis.

 

**Me: Duuuuuuuude! When the hell were you gonna tell me your birthday’s at the end of the month?!**

 

It took a while before there was any form of response, and when there was, it was easy to see Noctis was not actually awake yet.

 

**Noct: thid necesary prom? too esrly**

**Me: It’s after 10, Noct. That’s not too early! And you type like you’re drunk when you’re tired, btw. XD**

**Noct: stre uou**

**Me: Just get up! I’ll treat us to some breakfast, okay? I may not be Ignis, but I can make something good.**

**Noct: nu**

**Me: Please??? I’ll make something really good! -pout-**

 

No response came from the prince, though. So if Prompto had to guess, he might’ve gone back to sleep. Rolling his eyes, Prompto finished drying off and getting dressed, before going next door and ringing the doorbell to Noctis’s apartment, a cheeky smirk on his face. And he didn’t just ring it once, either. Every five seconds, when the door wasn’t answered, he rang it.

It took about a minute, but he finally heard the telltale thudding of feet colliding with the floor on the other side a little harsher than necessary, before the door was opened, with a very grumpy, and very sleepy-looking, prince on the other side. “Seriously…?” he groaned sleepily.

“Well, yeah! Especially when I’m offering to make breakfast,” tha alpha chuckled, not stepping inside just yet. What was strange, was that he could smell something different about Noctis, but he didn’t want to say something. Not yet, anyway.

Noctis groaned as he hit his head to the door. “Too early for this shit…” he grumbled, even as he started walking back inside. He kept a hand to the wall as he fairly stumbled his way back to his bedroom, yawning widely.

“After 10 in the morning isn’t too early, dude,” Prompto laughed, following the prince into the apartment.

“Is for me…” was the grumbled response as Noctis walked toward his closet to grab some clothes for the day. The blonde merely chuckled, before he caught the same scent again as Noctis tossed his clothes over his shoulder temporarily.

“Dude, you smell a bit different… Why is that?” he finally asked.

The question was like a bucket of ice water to the face for Noctis, waking him up almost immediately as a realization hit him; he hadn’t taken his suppressants! He was so used to taking them at breakfast he hadn’t even thought to take one before going to open the door for his friend. He also hadn’t thought that it would be _that_ easy to pick up by people, mostly since he never met with anyone who didn’t already know about his situation this early in the morning.

Thinking quickly, he finally said, “Yeah, it’s called sweating while you sleep. So if you’ll excuse me…” before he walked to the built in bathroom.

“O…kay?” Prompto frowned, confused. The raven hadn’t stunk like sweat; in fact, he smelled good.

 

X*X(Noctis)X*X

‘ _Fuck fuck fuck fuck!!_ ’ Noctis almost yanked out his hair in frustration. ‘ _What do I do!? I can’t get my suppressants with Prom out there…!_ ’

It took him only a few moments to realize there was a different way, but his expression soured at the thought of what it entailed. But the longer he stood there, the more he realized he had no other choice.

So, after quickly getting out of his clothes, he moved to the cupboard and flipped it open. It took a bit of searching, since they had, of course, been hidden away properly, but he finally found an injector. Sighing softly, he regarded the item for a few long seconds, before he propped up his leg on the edge of the bathtub. “Well… bottoms up,” he sighed out softly, biting his lip briefly before he pushed it against his thigh and pressed the button.

There was a brief, sharp sting, and Noctis hissed around his lip, as he bit back a cry of pain, before there was a faint heat that quickly spread out through his veins. Once he was sure he’d emptied the injector, he pulled it away and exhaled heavily. It was only a matter of time now, so he ditched his boxers and got into the shower, turning it on immediately.

And as the water hit him, Noctis already felt his stomach beginning to turn and roil, but he swallowed it all back down, forcing himself to keep himself together as he tried to wash off effectively. Prompto was right outside the door, and even with the shower on, it wouldn’t be enough noise to cancel out the sound of puking. He just had to endure it for a little while longer.

‘ _Just…just a little longer…just a bit more…_ ’

 

X*X(Prompto)X*X

As the blonde waited outside in Noctis’s room, he frowned softly to himself. Why would Noctis lie to him? Not that he had proof that Noctis was lying, of course, but it was definitely suspicious that the raven would claim he was sweating in his sleep when the smell he’d been emitting clearly didn’t stink.

Prompto had nothing to hide from Noctis, so why wouldn’t it be the same for Noctis with him…? It actually kind of hurt to think about. Finally, the sound of the shower stopped, and, a few moments later, Noctis stepped out, adjusting his shirt solemnly.

“Better?” the alpha asked, hiding his own concerns for the time being.

“Much,” Noctis admitted with a nod, rubbing the back of his neck. “Feel more awake, too…”

“I’ll bet. A shower usually helps,” Prompto chuckled.

The prince hummed in agreement, stretching his arms over his head. “So…you mentioned breakfast?”

“Yeah. I’m no Ignis, but I can cook when needed, and I can make a killer breakfast, as long as I have everything I need. And I went grocery shopping after school on Friday, so you’re in luck,” the blonde smirked.

“Nice,” Noctis chuckled.

“All right, then let’s go back to my place, since I have everything there, and we’ll come back here to study,” Prompto said with a grin, heading to the door to go to his apartment.

“Hold on… let me get my notepad, alright?” Noctis murmured as he moved to his desk. Thankfully, that took him only a few seconds, before he joined Prompto.

“What, you gonna copy down my recipe for Ignis?” the alpha snorted in amusement.

“Nah,” Noctis assured with a chuckle. “I find it easier to study with a pad nearby.”

“If you say so,” Prompto chuckled. “Though I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted Ignis to make it. It IS really good. And there’s bacon involved, so it’s even better!”

“Don’t tempt me, man,” his friend chuckled out.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the blonde snickered as they entered his apartment. “Do what you want, unless you think you can help. Highly unlikely, though.” He laughed at his own words as he went to the kitchen to pull out what he needed.

“Yeah, you DON’T want me near your kitchen… Trust me…” the prince admitted, before he moved to the couch.

“You’re the kind of person who burns water, huh?” Prompto laughed while starting to prepare an egg dipping batter for some French toast.

“If I try hard enough, yeah.”

“And if you don’t try hard enough?”

“It happens anyway.”

“Of course,” the alpha snorted, moving to the stove to start cooking some bacon. Noctis, in the meantime, reached for his phone for a moment and typed up a quick message.

 

**Me: Ignis, I need you to get me a new I-tube.**

**Specs: Of course. What happened?**

**Me: I’ll explain later, alright?**

**Specs: …Fine. As long as you’re okay…**

**Me: I’m fine, I promise. So don’t worry.**

**Specs: No guarantees. I’ll be by later tonight with one.**

**Me: Thanks.**

 

“Everything okay? You got quiet on me,” Prompto called from the kitchen as the delicious aroma of bacon hit Noctis’s nose.

“I’m fine,” Noctis said with a nod, putting his phone away, “Just had to inform Iggy before he calls around midday to wake me.”

“Tell him I’ll wake your ass up any day of the week!” the blonde laughed.

“Very funny,” Noctis chuckled out.

“Seriously! You should know that one from this morning,” Prompto pointed out, right before the sizzle of the French toast hitting the pan sounded. “How many pieces of French toast can you eat?”

The prince hummed in thought. “Think I can finish off like 3 or so.”

“Nice, three it is,” the alpha chuckled, and then the sound of rapid stirring could be heard. “Oh, I hate this part.”

“Hm?”

“Making bacon fat caramel, and it’s a bitch to add the bacon fat while I’m making the caramel,” Prompto grunted.

Chuckling, Noctis smirked. “Need any help?”

“Nah, I’ve done this enough I can do it on my own,” the blonde assured him, before setting the pan down in the sink once he’d gotten out all of the rendered bacon fat. The bacon itself was waiting on a plate to be eaten. “There!” he grinned once the caramel was done. “And the French toast is ready, too! Come and get it, Noct!”

“Alright,” the omega said with a nod as he stood up and walked over. And when he did, he was very pleasantly surprised to see his plate made for him, three pieces of French toast covered in some of the caramel and whipped cream on top, with some bacon on the side.

“Huh…interesting,” Noctis murmured curiously.

“It’s delicious, just try it and make your taste buds sing!” Prompto chuckled.

“Uh-huh,” Noctis got out as they went back to the couch. The alpha stuck out his tongue childishly, before beginning to eat as soon as he sat down.

“Delicious, as usual,” he hummed.

Noctis quirked an eyebrow at him, before he lifted up his toast and bit down. And he almost choked on the first bite, which he did his best to save by keeping his mouth shut firmly. “Dang!” he mumbled once he’d swallowed. “Was NOT expecting that!”

“Told you so!” Prompto laughed.

“Mmmm… Might have to rat this one out, anyway…”

“Hey! This one’s MY recipe!” the blonde pouted.

“I’m joking, Prom,” Noctis laughed out with a small grin. Prompto snorted, rolling his eyes a little in amusement, before resuming eating. Noctis merely smirked as he dug back into his own breakfast. Eventually, when they finished eating, the alpha looked at Noctis.

“All right, let’s get to studying at your place, then,” he sighed slightly, but he had a faint smile on his face regardless.

“If you want,” Noctis said with a shrug as he stood up again. Prompto then took their plates to the sink, before heading to the door after grabbing his bag. Once they had gone out and Prompto had locked the door, Noctis led his friend to his own room again.

“Oh yeah, when were you gonna tell me your birthday’s at the end of the month?” the blonde huffed when the door was closed to the raven’s apartment.

“Ugh… Don’t remind me…” Noctis groaned as he rubbed his temples.

“What? How’s that bad?”

“Why do you think? I tend to be the center of attention anyway… So what do you think happens THEN?”

“Oh, geez, yeah… Sorry…” Prompto apologized. “Is there any way you could just not make it a big party or whatever?”

“Oh I _wish_ ,” Noctis groaned as he slumped back onto his couch, smacking himslf in the head with his notepad. “But knowing the upper classes…this year’s gonna be especially bad…”

“I’m sure you’ll be fine, but it doesn’t hurt to ask your dad, right?” the alpha questioned, plopping onto the couch as well.

“Think I didn’t try that yet?” Noctis sighed out. “However, the people are expecting some grand party…and worst still, is that there’ll be plenty of nobles presenting their children as ‘potentials’…”

“Shit… I’m sorry, Noct…”

“Yeah…” Noctis mumbled. “Especially when most of them are omegas… Which I’m not a fan of with the way they’re being treated by their family…”

“I can only imagine, but I don’t blame you…” Prompto sighed. The prince sighed as well as he dropped his notepad on the couch next to him.

“Thankfully…that should be in the evening…so I’ll have a whole day to prepare for it. Gag…”

“Still bites to have to go through it at all,” the blonde muttered. “Well, let’s _try_ to get studying for a bit, then we can take a small break. What say you?”

“Right,” Noctis said as he sat up straight. “Get your books ready then.”

“Sure thing, teach,” Prompto chuckled.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

Finally, after 3 hours of studying, the pair decided it was a good time to take a break, as both boys were starting to get headaches and a bit hungry.

“Geez, this is exactly why I hate studying,” Prompto groaned as he stretched back against the couch.

“It happens,” Noctis grunted as he stretched his arms above his head briefly. He then got up and headed for the kitchen. “Lemme see if Iggy stashed some snacks around here…”

“Sounds good,” the alpha nodded. As Noctis searched for some snacks, though, he remembered that nice scent that Noctis had been emitting before, and finally decided to press for some answers. “Hey, Noct?” Remember how I asked you about your scent earlier? It didn’t smell like sweat. It smelled kinda good, to be honest…”

Noctis almost— _almost_ —knocked a glass off the shelf at those words, and he was glad that he was facing away from Prompto so the blonde couldn’t see the sheer panic now visible on his face. He had really hoped, somewhere in the back of his mind, that Prompto would just leave it for what it was. He wasn’t ready to deal with this yet, though he also wasn’t sure he ever would be.

“That so?” he managed to ask, as he finally located a bag of spicy chips in the back, and he was _so_ glad his voice didn’t crack. “Can’t imagine why that would be…”

“…Noct, is there something you’re not telling me?” Prompto frowned, noticing the slight pause.

“…Should there be?” Noctis asked in turn, tossing the bag over to Prompto.

“Well, there shouldn’t be anything you’d be keeping from me,” the blonde retorted. “Especially if we’re actually friends.”

Noctis’s fingers twitched, but he schooled his face to not display any of the guilt going through him at that point. He didn’t need this; he really didn’t need this. He was well aware it was better to just admit it, but he had no idea how to do it properly.

“What makes you think I’m keeping anything from you?”

“Noct, I’m not stupid. Sweat stinks, that smell didn’t. Please just be honest with me?” Prompto pleaded softly.

‘ _Fuck, why can’t you just let it **go?!**_ ’ Noctis thought desperately, even if none of that showed on his face. “I _am_ being honest,” he said finally, absently moving his hair out of his face. “What makes you think I’m not?”

“Noct, I’ve got nothing to hide. You clearly do, and you won’t trust me enough to tell me what it is. I’m just gonna go, and give you some time to think about us being friends, and what that means to you,” the alpha muttered, his tone disappointed, before quietly gathering his things to leave.

Startled that the blonde would actually just _leave_ like that, it took Noctis too long to actually react properly. And by the time he’d collected himself, Prompto was already halfway out.

“A-ah…! Prom, wait…!”

Unfortunately, the call came too late as the door shut behind the blonde, effectively cutting off whatever had been on the tip of Noctis’s tongue. And when Noctis realized this, the whole situation came crashing down and, before he was even aware of it, his legs gave out and he fell to his knees. For several moments, he didn’t move or say anything…but then a mirthless laugh escaped him.

“…hah… Haha… Fuck…” he managed to get out. “I…really _am_ an idiot…”

After almost ten minutes, Noctis was finally able to get up from the floor and he silently moved over to his couch. Once he had settled down there, he looked to the bag of chips he’d grabbed, wondering if he should even bother.

He ended up tossing the bag to the furthest end of the room before he snagged up his PS4 controller. Which, in the end, he did nothing with, and he just ended up sitting there, staring blankly at the TV screen (which wasn’t even on to begin with) before he said out loud “Fuck it…” and retreated to the one place that could (potentially) offer him a bit of solace; his bed.

And as he fell face-first into the mattress, he actually whined pitifully. ‘ _Why couldn’t I just **tell** him?! What’s so hard about telling him the truth?!_ ’

And the answer to that was simple, really; everything was hard about it. The moment he admitted it to someone else would be the moment he’d be forced to open his very soul to someone; all the stress, the expectations, the burden that rested so precariously on his shoulders would crush him, and no amount of mental preparation would be able to get him through any of that. There was no doubt in his mind that he would break down completely…and that was the one thing that, as heir to the Line of Lucis, he could not afford to do.

‘ _I'm sorry…I’m so sorry…_ ’

 

X*X(Prompto)X*X

The moment Prompto shut his door to his apartment, his façade of keeping himself as emotionless as he could shattered, and he choked out the sob that came from his chest. He didn’t _not_ want to be friends with Noctis, he really wanted to stay as great friends, but if the prince was going to obviously hide something from him and deny he was lying, especially when the blonde had basically bared his soul to him, then how could he keep being friends with someone like that? It hurt so badly to think about, but he knew he would only hurt more if he kept it going.

Somehow, the alpha found himself in his room, and he stumbled to his bed, curling up under the covers, before a loud, pained wail escaped him as he broke down crying. This would take some time to come to terms with, and it would have to start with putting space between them, as difficult as that would be. Eventually, he fell asleep, but not before shutting off his phone, so as not to hear any of Noctis’s attempts to contact him, if any.

 

X*X(Meanwhile…)X*X

When Ignis finally arrived at the complex to deliver the injection for Noctis and to check on him, he knew right away that something was definitely wrong when he went to the door and found it unlocked. He opened it, frowning worriedly, before quietly closing the door behind himself once inside.

“Noct…?” he called out, very concerned by now, since all the lights were off, even the bedroom one. There was no response from the prince. As Ignis walked into the bedroom, he quickly spotted the raven, on top of his bed, apparently fast asleep.

“Noct?” the beta murmured, seating himself neatly on the edge, and gently placing a hand on Noctis’s shoulder.

“…” Noctis didn’t wake at the touch, even when Ignis lightly shook him. Which was already worrisome, as this was extremely reminiscent of when Noctis had first heard he was an omega instead of the alpha everyone had believed him to be.

“Noct, wake up. What happened?” Ignis said, louder now as he shook Noctis a bit more firmly.

That did it; Noctis groaned wearily before he finally blinked his eyes open halfway. “…Iggy…?” he got out, but his voice was gravelly and virtually non-existent.

“Yes, it’s me,” the sandy blonde said reassuringly. “What happened, Noct?”

“…” The raven didn’t say anything initially. He just blinked, slowly, before he managed to say anything (albeit quietly). “…I…I messed up, Iggy…”

“What do you mean?” Ignis frowned softly.

“…” Noctis tried to speak, tried to explain…but his voice had given up. It refused to work with him, and so he could only give a small whine in frustration/despair.

Something seemed to click for Ignis then, and he asked gently, “Is it Prompto?” He could only reason something had happened between them that would cause Noctis to spiral this far into depression.

“…” A shaky nod was the only thing Noctis could manage.

“I believe I understand,” the beta murmured. “Noct, you need to tell him the truth, or else this will eat at you. You can’t, unfortunately, keep up the facade that you’re an alpha forever. And especially with Prompto. I got a good read of him when I met him, and he’s not going to share that kind of information with ease. He’s a very trustworthy alpha, more than even Gladio. He’s different from any other alpha, and you know this. He deserves to know the truth. Or else it will devour you from the inside. I have no doubt he’s hurting just as much as you are right now.” As he spoke, he gently rubbed the omega’s back, wordlessly trying to comfort him.

The omega couldn’t get a single word out of his throat, so all he managed to do was either shake or nod his head. He knew Ignis was right, and he _knew_ that Prompto had a right to know as his friend…but he was pretty sure that he had already ruined everything they had already built up over the week.

He didn’t want to lose his friendship with the alpha…but he was fairly certain he already had…

Thinking for a few moments, Ignis then came up with an idea. “I’ll be right back, Noct,” he told the raven kindly. And sure enough, he was back in less than 30 minutes, with one of Noctis’s favorite comfort foods in tow: Mother and Child Rice Bowl. “Here, Noct. You need to eat, all right?” he murmured.

While he wanted to say he wasn’t hungry, his stomach decided otherwise, rumbling to inform the prince it needed sustenance. So, despite the turmoil making his stomach flip on its axis, Noctis pushed himself up and quietly took the bowl from Ignis. He didn’t want to (not really), but he forced himself to eat it.

The sandy blonde waited patiently as Noctis ate, waiting until he was halfway through the bowl before gently asking, “A little better?”

“…” A small nod was the only response he got.

“Would you like me to take you to school tomorrow, Noct?” Ignis asked softly.

Noctis paused in eating for a moment. He didn’t want to be seen as weak that he needed constant supervision from a beta, even though it wouldn’t be that strange, given his rank. On the other hand, though, he didn’t want to be alone right now.

So, after he nodded once, he briefly set down his bowl, pointed to Ignis, then down with both fingers, before he put his palms together and bowed his head.

“I’ll stay the night,” the beta smiled kindly, knowing the poor boy really didn’t want to be alone at all, nor would he be able to handle it at the moment. “Try and get some sleep, Noct. I’ll be in the living room.”

Noctis nodded thankfully, managing a small smile in return. After he’d eaten his dinner, passing Ignis the bowl, he settled under the covers, not bothering to change for once.

However, before he closed his eyes for the night, he pulled out his phone and checked for any messages.

There were none.

Biting his lip, Noctis’s hands trembled as he weighed his options carefully. Then he finally moved his fingers slowly and carefully to avoid making any errors.

 

**Me: Prompto, I’m sorry. Can we at least meet tomorrow? Please?**

 

Was that how you were supposed to do it? He didn’t know… He’d never had to apologize to anyone like this for anything. If anything, he was always being apologized _to_ , which was such a pain when he was fairly sure there was no reason for it.

Two minutes later, and the message still wasn’t delivered, and this caused his stomach to, once again, twist into a dozen different knots (at least).

‘ _Is…is he ignoring me…? Did…did I really fuck up that badly…?_ ’

He knew lying wasn’t a good way to go…but what else could he have done? What could he have said that would have done it better? Did those words even exist?

The prince fell asleep clutching his phone to his chest, tormented by his own thoughts as a single tear slipped free from under his lashes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DON'T HURT/KILL US OR YOU WON'T GET ANOTHER WORD!!!


	5. Chapter 5

X*X(The Next Morning)X*X

When morning arrived for Prompto, he was definitely in a deep depression, to say the least. He knew he would have to stay strong, though, and just pull through until he got home again. Then he could crash. Fortunately, he had managed to wake up too early for Noctis to catch him as he left, and his plan was to just give the prince space. Hopefully that might help Prompto get through this…

The alpha slipped out from his apartment silently after pocketing his phone without checking it, locking the door and leaving without hesitation. And once he got to school, he hid out, waiting for the warning bell to ring before heading to class, taking a seat all the way at the front, as far away from Noctis as he could get.

When Noctis saw the blonde come in (barely on time) and sit all the way up front, he almost felt physically sick to his stomach. Since their first class was never completely full, he’d put his bag on the seat next to him (Prompto’s usual seat) to make sure he could sit if/when he came in. However, having the blonde effectively ignore and evade him like this was only making him feel less and less certain of himself.

He’d hoped that, when they met at school again, they could talk and he could at least try to explain. As well as he could, given the surroundings, of course.

But turns out, there were two major flaws in his plan. For one, his voice still refused to work for him, leaving him completely mute. This wasn’t anything new for him, though he had no real idea what it was that caused it (Ignis said it was either stress, frustration, anger, or some combination of those three emotions). And secondly, of course, Prompto choosing to sit as far away from him as possible.

As the teacher walked in, he briefly chanced a glance at his phone. More specifically, his texts.

Still only one checkmark.

He considered for a moment if he should send another text…but he soon realized it wouldn’t matter; if Prompto’s phone was off, he wouldn’t notice it either way.

So, rather than that, he tried to focus on class and hoped he could catch Prompto afterward.

Eventually, class ended, and the alpha was quick to leave, hurrying to their next class without waiting for Noctis. He hated doing this, but until Noctis felt like trusting him enough to be honest with him, he would have to. The blonde wasn’t trying to be cruel by any means, he was just trying to keep himself from being hurt more.

Noctis tried to call out to Prompto as he left, but with his voice being completely gone, that was a big failure. He almost whined, but managed to hold it in as he bit into his lip momentarily. Trying not to let it bother him (too much), he started out the door and towards his next class as well.

Prompto soon sat away from Noctis again, and this pattern repeated itself throughout their classes. When lunch arrived, however, despite it being a good chance for them to talk, the alpha chose instead to just ditch class for the rest of the day. As he passed Noctis, close enough for the raven to see his expression, the prince could clearly see the emotional pain and torment on the blonde’s face.

“…!” Noctis tried to call once again, but, again, couldn’t because his voice just wouldn’t come out. However, he _had_ to ‘talk’ about this, so as he headed out, just to escape the building, he took his phone out.

 

**Me: He’s avoiding me, Iggy! D:**

**Specs: It’s understandable, Noct, as upsetting as it is. He may be trying to distance himself so he doesn’t feel like he’s being hurt more. Obviously he’s hurting himself by avoiding you, but try giving him some time as well. I know you don’t like this answer, Noct, but it’s an unfortunate truth…**

 

Ignis was right; he _didn’t_ like the answer…but he knew he was right on everything else, too. Still, he’d hoped to at least talk about it with Prompto (as best he could).

After a moment of thought, though, he sighed heavily, texted Ignis that he understood, before he headed toward Prompto’s ‘secret place’. He was pretty sure he wouldn’t find him there, but at least it would let him be alone for a while. He honestly didn’t want to see anyone right now…

He didn’t find Prompto there, of course, and even when lunch was over, Prompto didn’t show up. It was clear that the blonde had ditched classes for the rest of the day, and gone home.

Sighing softly as he returned to his classes, he wished he could talk to someone, but he had no idea who he could possibly speak to about any of this. Especially in his current condition.

‘ _…!! Wait…of course! Luna…!_ ’

Years ago, Noctis had been first introduced to Lunafreya Nox Fleuret of Tenebrae. His family and hers had always been close, even before Niflheim had annexed the city. She was a few years older than him, and when they’d met, she’d gotten her test results in only a few days prior, which had revealed her to be an alpha.

For a long time, it’d been the idea that Noctis and Luna would end up together, since they’d been sure that Noctis, too, would be an alpha. And while Luna’s family had no idea of Noctis’s actual status, he had been able to let Luna knew through a small workaround, without anyone else knowing. She really was the only one from outside of the Citadel who knew the truth, which would make this much easier.

He’d just have to wait until after school…

 

X*X(Prompto)X*X

Prompto very nearly collapsed in the doorway when he got home, already emotionally drained from just being in four classes with Noctis and avoiding him during them. The stress was eating at him, but he had to keep this up. Even if it meant staying home for the week, then so be it…

He stumbled tiredly to his room, before collapsing on his bed in a heap, tears already beginning to flow freely. Hopefully he could last until the weekend, at minimum…

 

X*X(Noctis)X*X

When Noctis finally returned home to his apartment, the first thing he did after Iggy had left was pull out his phone. However, it did take a while before he was able to write up a message.

 

**Me: Hey, Luna.**

**Luna: Noctis! It’s been a while~ Is everything okay?**

 

Noctis hesitated for a moment, biting his lip, before he sighed.

 

**Me: No…no, everything is not ‘okay’…**

**Luna: What’s going on, Noctis? You know I’m here to listen.**

**Me: Well…I made a friend when I came back to school last week.**

**Me: Thing is, though…he’s an alpha.**

**Luna: So? That shouldn’t be a factor as to whether or not you can be friends. Unless he hurt you…?**

**Me: No, he didn’t!**

**Me: But…I think I messed up…bad…**

**Luna: Oh? What do you mean?**

**Me: Remember how I said I was moving out of the Citadel for the school year?**

**Me: Getting my own apartment, I mean.**

**Luna: Of course. What about it?**

**Me: Turns out he’s actually my next-door neighbor.**

**Me: Now that wouldn’t be a problem normally…but he came over before I took my medicine…**

**Luna: And he caught your scent beforehand, didn’t he? Did he find out?**

**Me: I don’t know…he’s suspicious, sure…but I don’t think he knows…**

**Me: I had to grab an I-tube to make sure…you know…**

**Luna: Noctis, before you go any further, I need to know if you trust him. Do you honestly trust this alpha?**

 

The prince paused for a moment, thinking, before he sighed.

 

**Me: I do…**

**Me: But I don’t think it matters now…**

**Luna: I think it does, regardless. Because if you two are such close friends, even within a week, to the point where you, of all people, trust him, then I’ll guarantee he’s in almost as much, if not the same amount, of pain as you clearly are.**

**Me: But he’s ignored me ALL DAY… I’ve been trying to make things right…but he won’t let me…**

**Luna: He’s more than likely afraid to be hurt further. Did you dodge the subject, or deny everything when he asked?**

 

Noctis flinched. He hated when Luna was right…

 

**Me: …yeah…**

**Luna: Noctis, that’s exactly what it is. He doesn’t want to be lied to, and who does? Especially when you’re supposed to be so close. I’m sure Ignis has already told you, but give him some time, and then try for this weekend to talk to him then. I’m sure he’ll be a bit more receptive by then.**

**Me: Yeah, he did… but…**

**Me: Luna, I’m scared… what if he doesn’t take it well?**

**Me: What if he tells someone?**

**Luna: If you’re that scared, Noctis, then you don’t trust him. Tell me about him. What’s he like? I can probably help you with this.**

 

Noctis tried to type out how he felt about the blonde, what he was like, but every time he jammed his finger back down on the backspace button, deleting everything he’d just written. He sighed heavily, holding his head in his hand.

 

**Me: I don’t know how to describe him, Luna…**

**Me: He’s nice, for sure…**

**Me: He also doesn't appear to have the same thoughts like other alphas…**

**Me: But… I don’t know… I just… I can’t help it… I’m just so scared…**

**Luna: Noctis, you need to have faith. He sounds like me, in a sense, in the way that he thinks differently than other alphas. And if that’s the case, then believe that he’ll still want to be friends with you after you tell him the truth. …Or maybe even something more. ;)**

**Luna: After all, he sounds very special to you.**

 

Luna’s words immediately caused Noctis to splutter (soundlessly).

 

**Me: LUNA!! >o<**

**Luna: XD Well, I know you and I are close, but I consider us as siblings. I see you as a little brother, Noctis, not to be rude. And I have a feeling you see me as an older sister, am I right?**

**Me: Of course…**

**Me: But you know our parents are expecting the lines to intertwine soon…right?**

**Luna: That doesn’t mean we have to follow their expectations, Noctis. You know that as much as I do. If this alpha means so much to you, he may be the best alpha you can have.**

 

Noctis sighed heavily. He knew she was right…but would they really get that choice once the time came? Much as he hoped they would, he wasn't too sure of that.

 

**Me: I hope you’re right, Luna…**

**Luna: You seem to doubt your father, too, then. He wants you to be happy, and that’s incredibly apparent, to me at least. It doesn’t matter what anyone else wants. It’s all up to you. Even if that means something…unintentional.**

 

‘ _Wait… is she…?_ ’ Noctis’s eyes widened at the implication, before he texted again.

 

**Me: You’re not seriously suggesting what I think you’re suggesting, are you?**

**Luna: Take it as you will, but it’s the best option you have. As long as he feels the same, and wants it as well.**

**Me: …**

**Me: You know Ravus will probably not agree on that, right?**

**Luna: I could honestly care less what he wants for me. It’s what I want, and what I want is for you to be happy, just as King Regis does.**

 

Noctis sighed softly, but he couldn’t help but smile.

 

**Me: Thanks, Luna…**

**Luna: Anytime, Noctis. Just let me know if he doesn’t react well, and then I’ll send Ravus after him. ;D**

**Me: Hahah. I’ll think about it. ;P**

**Luna: Get some rest, Noctis, and I’ll always be available if you need to talk more, okay? Let me know how it goes after this weekend.**

**Me: Yeah, okay.**

**Me: Goodnight, Luna.**

**Luna: Goodnight, Noctis~**

 

Noctis chuckled softly, before he finally moved from Luna to Prompto, just to see if he had actually read it. And sadly, he hadn’t, which made the prince sigh softly. ‘ _Dammit… Prompto… how am I supposed to apologize if you don’t at least listen to me?_ ’

However, rather than worry about it for now, he headed to his bedroom. Might as well get some rest, and hope that tomorrow would be better…

 

X*X(Saturday Morning)X*X

The week had sucked, to say the least, but that was a massive understatement. It had been horribly depressing, and had completely sucked the energy from Prompto. He hadn’t eaten in a few days now, despite his stomach’s demand for nourishment at this point. By now, though, he decided to finally turn on his phone, and was unsurprised by the amount of email notifications that he got as soon as it had reconnected to the wi-fi in his apartment.

What did surprise him, however, was the one text from Noctis, back six days prior to now, asking to meet with him so they could talk. He bit his lip, unsure if Noctis even _wanted_ to talk to him still, but he decided to reply anyway, out of courtesy at minimum.

 

**Me: I’m ready to talk now, Noct…**

 

There was no immediate response from the other. Though, given what Prompto had already learned about Noctis, it merely meant he was probably still asleep.

However, it didn’t take TOO long for a response to come.

 

**Noct: hey**

**Me: I’m sorry I didn’t want to talk sooner… Can we talk now…?**

**Noct: sure**

**Noct: your place or mine?**

**Me: I’ll come over in a sec, just need to get dressed.**

**Noct: kay**

 

‘ _Holy fuck that was awkward, and we weren’t even talking in person…_ ’ Prompto thought anxiously, before giving a resigned sigh and getting up and dressed. Less than 10 minutes later, and he was standing outside the raven’s apartment door, knocking on the wooden surface.

Surprisingly, rather than a verbal response, there was a rumble from his phone in his pocket.

 

**Noct: its open**

 

Swallowing nervously, the alpha opened the door, closing it softly behind him.

“Noct…?” he called out. It took him a little bit to spot the prince, since he was slouched down on the couch in such a way that you couldn’t see him from the entrance. The only way he knew the other was there was when he lifted a hand and offered a small wave without really looking up. Prompto hesitantly went over to the couch, sitting down by him. Swallowing nervously, he decided to start.

“…I’m sorry…” he whispered.

“…” Noctis didn’t respond with words, just yet; he kept his eyes aimed at the ground, though his hands were fiddling with his phone.

And suddenly, Prompto’s phone went off again.

 

**Noct: im sorry, too**

 

The blonde exhaled shakily, before looking at Noctis. “Did…did you lose your voice or something…?” he asked quietly, as it clicked that the prince hadn’t actually spoken or made a sound at all.

“…” The prince bit his lip for a moment, moving some hair out of his eyes, before he tapped along his phone.

 

**Noct: sometimes it happens**

**Noct: sorry**

 

“If you can’t help that, then you shouldn’t be sorry for it,” Prompto murmured. He could just see the tension in Noctis’s body as he slouched, and the alpha asked softly, “C…can I give you a hug…?” After all, the poor guy looked like he needed one. Desperately.

“…” Noctis slowly nodded his head. Prompto relaxed a bit in relief at the nod, before reaching over and pulling Noctis into a warm, comforting hug. And to Noctis, it felt so amazingly good after the near-week they’d been keeping away from each other.

The prince actually trembled for a moment, before he scooted a little closer and put his arms around Prompto as well, burying his face in the blonde’s shoulder. And all the while he was fighting back the tears that were fighting to come out.

“…I’m _so_ sorry, Noct… I never meant to hurt you… Especially like this…” the alpha whispered, holding the raven closer.

The raven barely managed to shake his head in response, and Prompto could feel his mouth move, but only a small, choked out came out. This frustrated the prince to no end; he wanted to _talk_ , even if he was sure he wouldn’t be able to get the words out properly, but he HAD to talk about this… HAD to…

Prompto gently shushed him, rubbing his hand along Noctis’s back soothingly. “Take your time. I’m not going anywhere,” he soothed. It took almost ten minutes before Noctis was finally able to pull away from the hug, though he had to rub at his eyes to make sure they weren’t actually leaking. That was the last thing he needed right now. Prompto honestly missed holding Noctis like that, but despite his brief pout, he still smiled slightly at Noctis. “Whenever you’re ready.”

“…”

Noctis, of course, didn’t say anything, but it was clear he was thinking about how and what to ‘say’. Finally, though, he picked up his phone and tapped along it.

 

**Noct: promise me one thing**

**Noct: please dont judge me**

**Noct: kay?**

 

“Noct, I wouldn’t judge you about anything. I promise,” the blonde swore, frowning in concern. This seemed to help, as Noctis was able to breathe a little easier. Still it took him a while before he moved again.

This time, he set his phone aside and reached into his pocket. Then, without giving Prompto time to question it, he grabbed the blonde’s hand and pushed something into his palm before pushing it back against Prompto’s chest.

Prompto blinked, a little confused, before opening his hand and seeing something he definitely recognized, but had never used, clearly: a pill strip for an omega’s suppressants. His eyes widened in shock, and he looked back up at Noctis as everything started to click. That scent last Sunday morning, Noctis’s panic, his immense hesitation in telling Prompto, everything.

“You’re…an omega…?” he breathed.

“……”

At this point, Noctis was biting his lip so hard that his fang actually pierced the skin, as his fingers clenched in the material of his pants. He didn’t say or do anything…but the implication was definitely there.

It was at that moment that the alpha felt like the worst person in the world. He had basically pushed his only friend into revealing something that obviously hurt to admit, and now Noctis was terrified.

“Noct…I…I’m so sorry…” he choked out. “I had no idea… I never should have pushed you like that…!”

Noctis tried to talk again, but all that got out was a small, pitiful sound as if someone was strangling a kitten. Which clearly frustrated the prince all the more as he groaned and reached up, grabbing fistfuls of hair.

Prompto put the pill strip on the coffee table, before fisting his hands against his knees, tears starting to form in his own eyes. “I shouldn’t have pushed you… That’s… It’s not fair to you…!”

“…n…no…”

The single word was small and weak, barely a whisper compared to the prince’s ‘normal’ speaking voice, but it was filled with so much pain that it was almost palpable.

“…I…I sh…shouldn’t…it…it wasn’t…I…I…”

The blonde shook his head. “Noct, I’m so sorry… I…I want to still be friends, as long as you do… Do you still want to be friends…?”

“…I…ah…of…of c-course…I…”

Prompto felt immense relief course through him at the rasped, whispered words, before he pulled Noctis into another hug. “…Thank you…” he breathed.

Noctis gasped in surprise, blinking, before he whimpered, and hugged the blonde back. “…th…thank…you…Prom…”

“Of course, Noct… I’ll never leave again… I never should have in the first place,” the alpha murmured. The raven didn’t reply, but he did whimper a little as he clung to the blonde as firmly as he dared.

“Noct, I’m not gonna leave, I promise,” Prompto soothed gently, pulling Noctis closer. “I may have lost a bit of weight over the past week, but I’m not breakable. I’m here to comfort _you_ right now.” There was no immediate response from the prince…except for a small, barely suppressed sniffle as Noctis buried his face in Prompto’s shoulder. The blonde smiled softly, gently rubbing Noctis’s back as he held the prince close.

Like that, they stayed for almost 10 whole minutes, with Noctis fighting back tears as he continued clinging to the blonde alpha. Finally, though, the raven took a deep breath and slowly pulled back from the hug.

“Feel a bit better?” Prompto murmured, smiling warmly. Honestly, if had to be honest with himself, he was happy that Noctis was an omega. Truthfully, the blonde found that this news was kind of a relief to him. After all, he found Noctis attractive before, and this just made things that much better. Maybe…just maybe there was some potential for them to be together.

“…y…yeah… l-little…” Noctis got out, his breathing still somewhat uneven. He was actually really glad he’d gotten this over with, that it was OUT there now… Even if only one other person knew, it was enough. It was at least one person he didn’t have to hide himself from…

“Noct, in case you’re wondering, I won’t tell a soul, and I don’t think any differently of you, I promise,” the alpha told him softly.

“…a-ah…th…thank…you…” Noctis choked out, his voice still unable to rise above a mere whisper.

“Rest your voice for now, okay? I’ll stay as long as you want,” Prompto smiled kindly. As they sat there, though, Noctis could tell how the blonde had indeed lost some weight.

For a moment, Noctis wasn’t sure what to even do in this situation, before something came to him and he suddenly stood up, heading for the kitchen.

“Whatcha doing, Noct?” the Prompto asked curiously.

However, he didn’t have to wait long for an answer, as Noctis came back shortly after…carrying a familiar bag of chips with him and passing it to Prompto. The alpha blinked, surprised, before setting the chips down and pulling Noctis close into yet another hug.

“Thank you…” he whispered, and then added with a soft laugh, “I’ll be honest, you give good hugs.”

Those words almost made Noctis flush red, but he somehow managed to tone it down to a small cough. “…a…ah…th-thanks…?” he managed to get out, barely.

Prompto chuckled softly. “Just rest for now, Noct. I’ll be here.”

“…kay…” Noctis murmured, as he settled down on the couch, managing to breathe a little easier. He was _so_ glad that they’d gotten through this… He wasn’t sure what he would’ve done if things hadn’t worked out the way they had.

He really didn’t want to lose this…

All the stress and anxiety from before was getting to him, though, and he could feel his eyelids drooping slowly. And as much as he tried to fight it, his eyes finally shut entirely. Which probably wouldn’t have been noticed by Prompto…had Noctis not pitched sideways to land in the blonde’s lap. The alpha almost jumped, before chuckling quietly as he held Noctis close, gently running a hand through the raven locks for a little bit before settling down as well and resting.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

After a couple of hours, the sound of the front door opening caught Prompto’s ear, and he looked up to see Ignis as he entered the apartment. The beta seemed pleasantly surprised to see Prompto with Noctis sleeping almost in his lap.

“We made up, and he told me,” Prompto murmured, looking down at Noctis fondly. Ignis was quiet for a few minutes, before he nodded, satisfied.

“Take care of him, Prompto. He deserves the best, and you seem to be the best one for him,” the sandy blonde said firmly.

“I wouldn’t be able to bear being without him, Ignis,” the alpha whispered. “I promise, he’s in great care with me.”

“…Thank you.”

“Anytime, Ignis, anytime.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love these two so much, and we BOTH cried while writing the last chapter, okay?! WE WERE HURTING, TOO!! Is this better, at least?


	6. Chapter 6

X*X(Sunday)X*X

It was an odd thing how one single revelation can change your whole perspective on a situation or even a person.

Now that Noctis had admitted to Prompto (without ever uttering a word) that he was an omega rather than the “alpha of alphas” he’d been expected to be, the blonde was starting to see the raven in a new light. After all, if they had both been alphas, it never would have worked. Them being in a relationship, anyway, since male alphas were unable to bear children. However, it was something Prompto was now starting to consider, given how they were so close already within the span of a mere week. And not only that, but he honestly could see himself treating the prince very well.

He just wasn’t sure if Noctis felt the same, considering who the omega was and what this potentially meant for his future. Since he’s a prince, he would probably want or need to be mated to someone of royal blood (likely an alpha or high-class beta), which hurt Prompto to think about.

These were the thoughts going through the alpha’s mind as he rested with Noctis on the omega’s bed, the raven having insisted he stay the night, his voice having returned just enough for him to do so verbally. Though he _had_ also looked at him so pleadingly that Prompto hadn’t dared to refuse. Not after everything they’d just gone through.

The blonde smiled softly to himself as he watched Noctis sleep in his loose hold, seeing how relaxed the prince seemed to be now, compared to when he’d come over yesterday morning. He was now immensely happy that they had made up, and couldn’t imagine not having Noctis as his friend ever again. It just hurt way too much to even think about.

“…mmmm…” Noctis moaned, before he slowly blinked his eyes open lazily. “…hm…? Prom…?” he mumbled lazily.

“Morning, Noct,” Prompto murmured, lightly tightening his hold on Noctis. “Your voice back all the way yet?”

Groaning a bit, Noctis lazily reached up to rub at his eyes. “…think so…” he murmured, though his voice still sounded a bit gravelly.

“You’re getting there. Almost back to normal,” the alpha smiled.

“Mmm…” Noctis groaned as he pushed up slowly. “…ugh…gotta get my suppressant…” he mumbled softly.

“All right,” Prompto nodded, regretfully letting go of Noctis so he could get his suppressant.

After getting out of bed, Noctis reached over to his nightstand. He pulled out the suppressant strip he’d started to keep there ever since Prompto had woken him up so early. It took him a moment to find one on the strip, though, since there were only two left on it. Once he had one in hand, he popped it in his mouth and swallowed it dry.

“Ugh, I can’t take pills dry like that,” the alpha shuddered. “I need at least some water, if not food.”

The prince hummed softly as he reached up and rotated his neck. “Well…I don’t often have the leisure…”

“True,” Prompto conceded. He then hesitated, wanting to tell Noctis what he was thinking about before, but he wasn’t sure how the omega would take it.

Grunting a bit, Noctis climbed to his feet and rubbed at his eyes. “Ugh…I need to shower…kay?”

“Okay,” the blonde nodded. “Want me to fix some breakfast?”

“Sure…”

“Okay. I’ll fix something up,” Prompto smiled slightly, before sliding off the bed and leaving Noctis’s room to go whip something up for breakfast. Probably some pancakes would do the trick.

When Noctis got under the shower, he worked on washing his hair, since he hadn’t actually done so for a few days already, and Ignis had been starting to complain about it. However, that was far from where his thoughts were currently.

He couldn’t help but think back to the conversation he’d had with Luna, about pursuing a possible relation with Prompto. While he had to admit, if he _did_ end up with Prompto, he certainly wouldn’t be complaining, but there was the matter of his own standing.

As heir to the throne of Lucis, it wouldn’t be too difficult for a political marriage to be brought up at one point, especially if it was to stop the still ongoing war with Niflheim. Which was another reason why many assumed him and Luna to end up as a mated pair. But, as the pair in question had already discussed, if they had anything to say about it, it would never happen. It would just be too weird for either of them.

Plus, he vaguely remembered Luna mentioning something about this “cute alpha thief running amok in Tenebrae” more and more lately.

Shaking that off, Noctis sighed as he stepped out after rinsing out his hair. ‘ _Would people accept it, though…? There’s no way they’d accept an omega leader at this time…so either Prom would either have to pose as omega…or I’d have to marry someone else who’d be okay with the situation… If only to keep up public perception…_ ’

As he toweled off, he hummed as he considered the last option. ‘ _If we have to stick with that…Luna might be able to help us… She already knows, and I don’t think she’d mind._ ’ He sighed heavily then. ‘ _But…I honestly wish that it wasn’t necessary at all…though that’s probably wishful thinking…_ ’

As he was getting dressed, there was a knock on the bathroom door.

“Noct, breakfast is ready. I made some pancakes,” Prompto called through the door.

“Ah…right, thanks…I’ll be out in a bit,” he called back, grateful that his voice was back to normal.

“Kay,” the blonde nodded, before leaving the raven’s bedroom, back out to the dinner table. A few moments later, Noctis stepped out of the room, fully dressed, though he did still have a towel resting along his shoulders. Probably to catch the stray water drops clinging to his hair. Prompto’s breath caught a little in his throat at the sight, and he blushed faintly as he sat down. Damn, Noctis was affecting him more than he’d initially thought now that he knew the truth.

Once he had plopped down at the table, Noctis sighed heavily as he pushed his hair out of his eyes. Despite having slept most of the day yesterday, he was still more tired than he had been expecting himself to be. He just hoped he could properly wake up before they finished breakfast.

“Hey, if you wanna sleep more today, I won’t blame you,” the alpha told his friend kindly, noticing how tired he still appeared to be.

“No…I’ve slept enough…” Noctis groaned as he began on his breakfast.

“All right,” Prompto nodded as he began to eat his own pancakes. Still, his thoughts were preoccupied with the idea and potential for him and Noctis to become mates. He really did want it, but only if Noctis did, too.

As Noctis popped another bite in his mouth, he noticed the look of concentration on the blonde’s face. “…Prom?” he asked once he’d looked up. “You okay?”

“Kinda… Just…” the blonde started, but sighed, unsure of how to say it. Finally, he decided to just go for it. “I…I want to be with you…”

Noctis was, somehow, able to keep his expression unchanged, even if his heart skipped a beat. While the words _did_ make him feel a spark of hope, at the same time the same old fears from his earliest day as an omega came to the forefront. He wanted to believe that Prompto wouldn’t be like _that_ , but his head just couldn’t help but worry.

Astrals, he didn’t _want_ Prompto’s interest in him to be just because he was an omega…but could he really be blamed for his fears?

“…you already are, aren’t you?”

“Noct, if you think I’m only interested because I now know you’re an omega, that’s not true,” Prompto soothed. “It’s because I know that I want to pursue a relationship… I wouldn’t have tried if you really were an alpha because it wouldn’t work, but…I do like you. A lot. And as more than friends…” Sighing, he added softly, “Besides, you know how I would treat my omega. I’ve told you that.”

“…I know…” Noctis murmured, looking down at his plate. “…but…I’m sorry…it’s just… I’ve…never had anyone come to me... like _that_ …without an ulterior motive…” he admitted, tugging a little on the pancakes. “…I…it’s just…hard…”

“I know, trust me, I know…” the alpha murmured. “I’m not asking to jump right into sex, after all. We can start slow, though, if you want to try giving ‘us’ a chance like that…”

“…” Noctis considered those words for a moment. He knew the blonde had a point; they didn’t HAVE to get straight to being mates. They could just start slow (even though they couldn’t go out publicly at this point), and see if things could go any further.

And, maybe then, he could also bring up the subject to his father after a while, and hope that things would be able to work out, even with the war.

Small chance of that, but hey, wishful thinking had got him _this_ far, he supposed…

“…I…I guess we can…”

Prompto gave a warm, pleased smile at the words, his entire posture relaxing. “You have no idea how much that means to me, Noct,” he told the raven kindly, reaching across the table and taking Noctis’s hand in his gently. The touch almost made Noctis jump, before he managed to calm himself down. He managed a small smile of his own, moving his thumb to rub along Prompto’s hand.

The blonde copied Noctis’s action, rubbing his own thumb along Noctis’s hand. “Do you want me to stay again tonight?” he asked curiously, his tone hopeful. “I promise I won’t do anything sneaky or nothing.”

“…” Noctis regarded him silently for a moment before he smirked. “Probably shouldn’t… Wouldn’t want to piss of Gladio, after all…”

“So? What are the odds of him coming over?” Prompto whined. “He has no reason to.”

“Don’t count your Chocobos until they’ve hatched,” Noctis said simply with a chuckle.

“Fiiiiiine…” the alpha sighed. He’d really wanted to stay the night again, and just hold the raven like the night before.

Upon noticing the look, Noctis snorted. “You do realize I was talking about you doing something ‘sneaky’, right?”

“You gotta give me specifics here, Noct,” Prompto pouted, which only served to make Noctis laugh.

“I’d assume you’d have known me well enough by now.”

“What, you want to stay at my place, then?” the blonde frowned, confused.

Rather than respond immediately, Noctis reached out and poked Prompto to his forehead. “There’s only one way to decide where to stay the night…”

“Aw, geez, you mean a video game match, don’t you?” Prompto groaned. “You can’t just choose?”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Noctis chuckled before he smirked. “Or are you afraid to lose, hm?”

“No, I just enjoy holding you…” the alpha admitted.

“Uh-huh… But you can’t just expect to get anything for _free_ , do you?”

“Fine, I’ll play, but I’m gonna win,” Prompto huffed, smirking.

“Yeah, right,” the prince chuckled as he got up from the table.

The blonde was quick to follow, before asking as they reached the couch, “What game?”

Noct smirked after popping a game in, and then tossed the case to Prompto. Prompto blinked when he saw it was Dragonball FighterZ, and then internally groaned. He’d only played this one briefly as a rental when it first came out, and he’d done pretty well while playing, in his opinion, but things would be different while playing against Noctis.

Noctis chuckled as he passed the blonde a controller, before he plopped down on the couch with his own. “Ready to lose?”

“More like win,” the alpha retorted, sitting next to the omega.

“Yeah, right,” the prince chuckled as he moved to a co-op match. After a bit of thinking, he picked Beerus, Majin Buu, and Gotenks. Prompto’s gaze become focused as he chose Goku, Vegeta, and Piccolo. Noctis smirked as they went into the match after picking the city stage.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

“Sooo… I thought you said you were gonna win?” Noctis chuckled cheekily as they reclined back on Noctis’s very comfy bed.

“Hush. As long as I get to stay the night with you, I’m happy either way,” Prompto huffed a little, wrapping an arm around Noctis’s shoulders and gently pulling him closer. Noctis merely chuckled softly as he settled against the blonde quietly, letting his eyes fall shut.

The alpha smiled contently as he did, before pressing a soft kiss to the top of the raven’s head. As Noctis started slowly dozing off, though, his hand reached up a little, before the fingers curled around Prompto’s hand lightly.

“Get some sleep, Noct. I’ll be here the entire time,” Prompto whispered, his smile widening at the light grip on his hand.

Later that evening, the alpha and omega were watching some show on Netflix on Noctis’s PS4, but Prompto wasn’t exactly focused on the show. His thoughts were more focused on the prince he had resting against his side, and how he wanted to kiss him. However, he didn’t want to push his luck, nor scare Noctis by making him think he was trying to rush things. His thoughts were interrupted when there was a knock on the door.

Noctis looked up curiously, before he sighed softly as he pushed himself up. “Must be Iggy…” he murmured as he walked over to open the door. The blonde pouted briefly at the lack of Noctis with him, but got up as well, just in time for the raven to open the door and reveal Ignis and Gladio. Prompto very nearly tensed at the sight of the large alpha, but quickly forced himself to relax. He hoped Noctis’s Shield would approve of him, as he was fairly certain Ignis had to have told the brunette about Prompto.

“Good evening, Noct,” Ignis greeted. “We came by to check on you two and to make some dinner.”

“Ah…right…thanks…” the prince said with a small nod, not seeming the least bit bothered by Gladio’s presence there.

“I’m glad your voice is back,” the beta smiled slightly as he and Gladio walked in, the brunette looking Prompto over briefly…before he smirked.

“So, this is that ‘potential alpha’ you told me about, huh Iggy?” he asked.

“I’m Prompto,” the blonde nodded.

“Behave, Gladio. He’s a good person,” Ignis chided lightly.

“Could you guys please lay off for tonight?” Noctis sighed as he moved back over to the couch. Prompto followed after, and once both boys were seated on the couch again, he lightly pulled Noctis close to his side, loving the closeness.

“I’ll be good, Noct,” Gladio chuckled. “Just wanting to make sure he’s good for you.”

“Hmhmm… I figured…” Noctis murmured lazily, resting his head on Prompto’s shoulder. As he watched the pair, Gladio actually gave a small, genuine smile. He was glad Noctis had finally seemed to have found someone who truly cared for him, regardless of what he is.

Ignis was thinking along the same lines, even as he cooked dinner, and he was pleased that Prompto was, indeed, following through with his promise and taking care of Noctis. The blonde gave a soft, content hum as he lightly kissed the top of Noctis’s head again, not caring that the other two were there.

This made the prince hum a little lazily, but he didn’t move or say anything; he just kept watching the show silently. Just that alone showed the older pair that Noctis truly did want to be with Prompto, as they knew he would have tensed and/or pulled away if he didn’t.

Eventually, Ignis finished making dinner, and he brought it out to them, which was a first.

“We’re going to leave now, but call if you need anything, Noct,” the beta told him. “And Prompto?”

“Hm?”

“Thank you.”

The blonde blinked in surprise, before smiling lightly as he nodded.

“It’s my pleasure, Ignis.”

“Have a good night, you two,” Gladio called as they left, shutting the door behind them.

“…what did I tell you about Gladio showing up?” Noctis said with a smirk.

“Yeah, yeah. I wasn’t doing anything wrong, so no harm done,” the alpha chuckled.

“Hmhmm…”

“Let’s eat up before Ignis’s cooking gets cold,” Prompto murmured, removing his arm from the omega’s shoulders so he could sit up to eat.

“…Right…” Noctis sighed out as he sat up properly. He yawned for a moment, before he scooted forward, picking up his utensils before reaching for his plate…but his fingers suddenly slipped on the material and they fell to the floor. "Ah, dammit…!” he hissed in annoyance.

“You okay…?” the blonde asked, as that was a first. He trailed off, though, as he was starting to smell something different about Noctis’s scent. He couldn’t quite place his finger on it, though.

“I-I’m fine…” Noctis got out, just as surprised as Prompto. He hadn’t actually expected that to happen, but he quickly shook it off. Maybe he was still just a bit tired…

That was what he believed up until he realized that his body temperature was rising, and it seemed to center on his stomach for a brief moment, before spreading out. And that was when it hit him; his heat had started.

‘ _Oh shit…! Why **now** of all times?!_ ’ He tried to speak, but he couldn’t get anything out aside from a breathless gasp as he reached for his chest, his heart pounding against his chest fiercely. Immediately, Prompto yelped, the scent hitting him, and it clicked when he saw how Noctis was reacting.

“Fuck…!” he hissed, starting to get lightheaded already. He was quick to distance himself from the omega, so as not to do something stupid. “I-I-I don’t want…to hurt you…Noct…!” he stuttered out, breathing heavily.

Noctis tried to speak, but it was getting progressively harder to do. He knew it wasn’t a full-blown heat, but if he didn’t get an injector soon, he likely WOULD go into one. He had to get it from the bathroom…and fast!

Whimpering, he clambered to his feet, but his legs almost gave in right away. However, he kept himself up on his feet, forcing himself to keep moving for the bathroom.

Sadly, he stumbled as he reached the bedroom and fell forward.

The alpha gasped when he heard Noctis fall and hit the bedroom floor, and, despite his better judgement, he went over to him in the bedroom. “Noct…what do…you need…?” he gasped out, shuddering a bit.

“In…injec…tor…” the omega choked out, managing to point toward the bathroom. “Ca…cabin-net…”

Prompto nodded weakly, and stumbled to the bathroom himself, trying desperately to focus. Digging through the cabinet, he quickly found it, and hurried on unsteady feet back to Noctis with the injector. “Noct…here…” he grunted, giving it to him before quickly bracing himself against the far wall.

As his fingers grabbed hold of the injector, Noctis gasped for every breath as he swiftly rolled up his sleeve, grabbing the material in his teeth. And then, with a hissed breath, he slammed the injector against his arm and pressed the button.

The blonde watched with wide eyes, his chest heaving as he struggled against his alpha instincts. The prince whined and gasped, as he lay there, twitching and shuddering. But, finally, as his scent began to dissipate, his body gradually settled, though he continued to gasp for breath.

Prompto managed to calm down enough from the potential heat scent to go to Noctis’s side worriedly. “Are you okay…?” he asked softly, placing a soothing hand on the omega’s back.

“Don’t…!” Noctis choked out, rolling away from the blonde, not looking at him. “Please…d-don’t…! I-I’m still… It’s n-not…!”

The alpha jolted at the cry, startled, before he realized what was wrong. He knew heats resulted in arousal, and Noctis must have been that close that he’d gotten hard.

“D…do you want me to wait outside in the living room…?” he asked hesitantly. It took a few moments before Noctis was able to nod his head shakily, as he slowly pushed himself up on his shaking arms. Prompto nodded quietly, before getting to his feet and leaving. He wanted to help the poor raven, but he knew Noctis wouldn’t want it right now, and the blonde wasn’t going to do anything without Noctis’s permission.

When the door shut behind the blonde, Noctis managed to get himself up on shaking limbs. His instincts were screaming at him to not let the alpha go, to grab hold and never let go…but he forced himself to not give into temptation; he couldn't risk his friendship with Prompto just to get a quick “fix”.

Somehow, he didn’t even remember how exactly, but he made it to the bathroom on shaking limbs, and then managed to somehow get the water turned on to draw a bath. Getting out of his clothes was a bit of a hassle (pants in particular), but he was desperate and almost ripped the fabric off of him before climbing into the tub.

The water was cold, since it hadn’t warmed up yet, but he didn’t care. He needed this now. He just needed a moment…!

Whimpering softly, Noctis placed a slow, trembling hand on his thigh, which immediately made him whine pitifully. He bit his lip sharply, trying not to make too much of a noise, but it was virtually impossible as a loud whimper escaped his throat. And he wasn’t even touching his cock yet, but he was just that desperate!

Breathing heavily, he brought both hands down, whining as his hand finally touched his cock, and it jumped in his grip, drawing a choked gasp from the prince. He was blabbering, he was sure, but he couldn’t care anymore as his other hand moved further down, slipping the fingers down, and then pressing them past the twitching muscle there.

“A-ah fuck…!” he cried out, muscles bunching up briefly, before he whimpered and was able to move his hands faster. The water around him made this much easier and smoother, and he wailed as he pressed his fingers in further, while his right hand sped up even more. “Fu-fuck…! Fuck fuck…a-ah…!”

It only took a few minutes for him to reach his climax, choking on a half-formed shout.

“Hah…hah…hah…”

For several long moments, Noctis didn’t dare move, his body twitching and shuddering as he came down from the high his heat had left him on. He was gasping for breath, whining softly, before he forced himself to push up. ‘ _I…I need to wash up… I need to…clean up…_ ’

Meanwhile, Prompto waited in the living room, worried for Noctis. He heard the water start in the bathroom, and he had a feeling the omega was either taking a cold shower or getting off. The latter thought made him feel warm, and he tried desperately to not let himself focus on that, as he knew it would be horrible for the prince if he got hard himself. Unfortunately, his dick seemed to have other ideas, as the alpha felt his pants tightening already.

“Fuck…!” he hissed, before quickly grabbing his phone and texting Noctis, that way the poor guy didn’t think he’d run off.

 

**Me: I’ll be back, I promise, just need to clear my head.**

 

And with that, he hurried back to his apartment, shutting the door behind him before scrambling to his bathroom while unfastening his pants at the same time. Once in the bathroom, he nearly yanked his jeans and underwear down, and gasped sharply at the friction on his hardened cock as it was freed.

“Dammit…” he growled, before he lowered his hand and curled the fingers around himself, jolting a little at how good it felt. He’d only ever gotten off to porn, but now, his thoughts strayed to Noctis and how the omega had to have dealt with his own problem. The thought alone made his cock twitch in his hand, even as he began to move his hand along his cock. His hips thrust into the grip he had on himself, and finally, as the movements became more erratic, he came, his release somehow not ending up on the bathroom rug, but instead on the floor. With trembling hands, Prompto wiped up his mess, before chucking the paper towels in the trash.

‘ _Shit… I hope to the Six I can hold back when he **does** want me…_ ’ the alpha thought worriedly as he leaned against the wall. ‘ _I don’t want to hurt him… He just affects me so strongly…_ ’

Eventually, with a shaky sigh, the blonde decided to change into some lounge clothes (an old t-shirt and pajama pants) before returning to Noctis’s apartment.

“Noct…?” he called out, concern heavy in his voice.

“Hey…” the omega got out softly from where he was sitting on the couch, his voice a little gravelly. “…sorry about that…” he mumbled softly.

“It’s okay, you couldn’t help it,” the alpha murmured, going back over to the couch and sitting with Noctis. “Do you… Are you okay now…?”

“Y…yeah… I’m…I’m okay now…” he got out slowly, nodding his head.

Prompto smiled slightly at the raven. “Can I hold you again?” he asked softly. Noctis blinked, hesitating briefly, before he nodded slowly. The blonde’s smile widened a bit, before he gently pulled Noctis to him, keeping the raven tucked into his side. His grip, however, was loose, wordlessly telling Noctis he could pull away at any time if he wanted to.

And this clearly helped get Noctis to relax, as he sighed softly, getting himself a little more comfortable against the alpha. Prompto gave a quiet chuckle, pressing his lips to the top of Noctis’s head briefly, before he groaned when he saw their untouched dinners, more than likely stone cold by now.

“Crap… Iggy’s not gonna be happy…” Noctis sighed softly as he realized the same thing.

“I’m sure he’d understand if you told him what happened,” the alpha pointed out. “...Think it’ll be okay reheated?”

“…I guess that could work… Won’t be as good as it would be normally, though…”

“It’s better than nothing, though,” Prompto shrugged, before pecking Noctis on the cheek as he stood, grabbing their plates as he left to the kitchen, a cheeky grin in place.

“…What’s that look for?” Noctis demanded in amusement.

“Thought you’d be a bit more surprised by a kiss to the cheek,” the blonde chuckled.

“…” Noctis merely shrugged. “Lu did it all the time.”

“Lu?” Prompto frowned, a bit confused and almost…jealous now.

“Ah… yeah. Lunafreya Nox Fleuret,” Noctis said, not even seeming to notice the minor shift in Prompto’s behavior. “She’s a friend from Tenebrae. Alpha, too.”

“She’s…just a friend, though, right?” the alpha asked, pausing as he was about to start reheating their food.

“…not…exactly…”

“Then what is she to you?” Prompto pressed, trying to suppress his own bubbling jealousy.

“She’s…” the prince murmured thoughtfully, frowning a little. “I dunno how best to describe it… We’re close but…”

“But…?” the blonde said, his jealousy leaking into his voice a bit. And this time Noctis noticed.

“What’s with you?” he asked with a small frown.

Prompto sighed, before he muttered, “Just…getting jealous, I guess…”

“…” Noctis regarded Prompto…but then he laughed.

“What?” the alpha huffed.

“We’re not close like _that_ , Prom. If anything, I’d sooner call Luna a sister than a real friend. Though she plays both parts well.”

“Okay, good,” Prompto nodded, relaxing as he returned with their food, kissing the omega on the cheek again before he began to eat. Noctis chuckled softly, as he started on his belated dinner. And once they were done, they remained on the couch, watching Netflix, until they had to get to sleep. Of course, Prompto stayed the night again, holding the omega close to him as they slept.


	7. Chapter 7

X*X(Friday Afternoon)X*X

Like that, another week of school had gone by in the blink of an eye, and Friday afternoon rolled in on them once more. This time, though, instead of going home separately and being alone, away from each other, Prompto and Noctis walked back to their complex together, something they had started doing since the beginning of the week. Then rather than separate at their respective apartments, they both went into Noctis’s, as they had also taken to doing since Monday.

Granted, Prompto had his own place, and he did have to go back sometimes to get some stuff, but he wanted Noctis to be comfortable in his own apartment, rather than feel the least bit uncomfortable in the blonde’s. After all, they were still taking things slow, despite the near-heat incident the Sunday prior and Prompto proving he wouldn’t do anything to Noctis without permission.

As they entered the raven’s apartment, though, Noctis’s phone buzzed in his pocket, surprising Prompto.

“Who is it?” he asked curiously as the omega pulled out his phone.

“I have an idea…” Noctis murmured, as he turned it on.

 

**Luna: Hi Noctis, are you doing okay? I haven’t heard from you since Monday last week. Did things go well?**

 

Noctis allowed a small smile before starting to type his response.

 

**Me: Ah, sorry, Luna. Classes and homework have been draining most of my free time.**

**Me: And yeah, things went well.**

**Luna: How did he take the information?**

**Me: Hold on…**

 

Before Prompto could ask again, Noctis suddenly threw his arm around the blonde’s shoulder and yanked him up against himself.

“Noct, what are you doing?” the blonde asked, quirking a brow and smiling slightly in amusement.

But Noctis didn’t respond as he raised his phone, shifted to camera mode, and quickly snapped a shot of them both. Which he then immediately sent to Luna.

 

**Luna: Aww!! You two look perfect together! And he’s a good-looking alpha, too! You found a good one, Noctis~**

**Me: XP**

 

Noctis chuckled, before he turned to Prompto. “Luna was asking how we were doing.”

“I take it you texted her last week, huh?” Prompto guessed, feeling guilty.

“Yeah.”

“Does she even like me after what I did to you…? I _still_ feel like an ass for it…” the alpha admitted quietly.

“She’s fine with it, don’t worry.”

“All right,” Prompto nodded, dropping his bag by the closet by the front door. “So, what do you want to do for dinner tonight? We could give Ignis the night off from coming over and cooking and just order pizza from my usual place.”

“Haha. Sounds good,” Noctis chuckled softly, before he shot off a quick text to Ignis.

 

**Me: Hey, Iggy. Prom and I are gonna be in his place tonight. Take a load off for once, kay?**

**Specs: All right. Take care, and enjoy yourselves.**

**Me: Won’t be a problem.**

 

“All good?” the blonde asked, picking his bag up again.

“Yeah, we’re good,” Noctis chuckled.

“Sweet,” Prompto smiled, before he started to go out the door. “Get some comfy clothes on, and I’ll be waiting for ya when you’re ready.”

“Alright,” Noctis chuckled softly as he headed for his bedroom, where he grabbed a single black shirt and some easy shorts. It wasn’t that cold _yet_ , so he didn’t have to worry about that just yet.

Once that was done, he headed off to Prompto’s apartment. When he knocked, Prompto called out that it was unlocked, so he walked in to see the alpha setting up what looked like…almost a makeshift camp setup where the couch had been. Said couch had been pushed against the far wall, out of the way.

“Hey,” Prompto smiled warmly as he set out a thick Sherpa blanket in the middle of the living room.

Blinking a bit in surprise, Noctis paused in the doorway, before he chuckled and walked over. “What’s all this about?”

“Figured we could have a kind of…date night at home, I guess, since we can’t exactly have one out in public,” the blonde explained, blushing lightly.

“So you made us a blanket fort? How old are we again?” the prince said with a small smirk.

“Hey, you can never be too old to have a blanket fort,” Prompto retorted with a laugh, before plugging in a string of lights that ran across the top of the inside of the fort. “There.” Noctis laughed softly as he moved over. “Besides, I used my softest blanket for us to be able to sleep on. Come on, sit on it!” the alpha urged with a grin.

Humming curiously, Noctis settled on the blanket. “Huh…comfy.”

“Right? It’s a Sherpa blanket, and I was so glad to be able to save up to buy one, especially during the winter time,” Prompto told him happily.

“Always nice,” Noctis agreed as he dropped back onto the blanket. The blonde laid back with him with a soft hum, before snagging his PS4 controller and turning on the console and starting up a movie on Netflix. As they both focused on the movie, Prompto couldn’t help but want to actually kiss Noctis…on the lips. He resisted the urge, though, deciding to ask the omega for permission later. After all, he wasn’t going to do anything Noctis didn’t want.

And the omega, in the meantime, wasn’t even thinking about any of that as he watched the movie. He was perfectly content with the way things were right now, and he didn’t see any reason to have that change any time soon. Sure, Noctis was well aware that it someday WOULD, but not right now, anyway.

As the movie got to its halfway point, the alpha lightly pulled Noctis close to him by his shoulders, holding him close in a loose grip. He then pressed a soft kiss to the top of the raven’s head once again, as he’d taken to doing often over the past week while they were alone at home. He would never chance it in public, lest they get caught, so he took advantage while they were at home.

“Mm…?” Noctis hummed lazily, looking up briefly, before he smiled softly, after which he turned back to the TV. When the movie finally ended, Prompto hesitated before letting go of Noctis, sitting up with a groan. Already he missed having that boy’s warmth against him.

“I’d better call in our order, that way we can eat before it’s late,” he murmured, grabbing his phone off the end table nearby. “You want the same as last time?”

“Sure thing,” Noctis said as he stretched his arms over his head. The blonde nodded, and then called up the pizza place.

“Hey, Mama!” he grinned when someone answered. “I hope Marino told you, but thanks for last time. …I know, I know, but sometimes you’re too generous. …Straight to the point, huh? All right. Same as last time, then.” He then chuckled. “Yes, it’s a large, since I’m sharing with that same friend. …Awesome. Thanks, Mama.” Once he hung up, he laughed softly. “She’s gonna go broke if she keeps on discounting me or giving me freebies.”

“Hahah. I’ll bet… Want me to fix that?”

“It’s fine. Her pizza is so popular that she’ll be just fine,” Prompto assured him.

“Well, if you’re sure…”

“Yeah. She’s been in business for a long time, from what Marino’s told me before.”

Noctis merely hummed curiously, before he rested himself back on the blanket, yawning a bit.

“Hey, no sleeping just quite yet, Noct,” the alpha smirked, poking the raven’s cheek.

“So find something to keep me entertained,” Noctis chuckled.

“…Would you let me kiss you?”

“Hm?”

“I…I want to kiss you,” Prompto murmured. “But only if you’ll let me.”

“…”

The blonde gazed at him quietly, his expression serious. He really did want to, and even though he would be a bit hurt if Noctis didn’t want him to, he would push it aside to make Noctis happy.

Noctis sat up properly, watching the blonde for a moment. “…sure.”

Prompto felt immense relief from that simple word, and he smiled warmly at the omega. “I’ll be good,” he promised, gently pulling Noctis close to him. The prince didn’t say anything, and instead only shut his eyes quietly. The alpha then lightly placed his hand at the base of Noctis’s skull, threading his fingers into those ebony locks, and then slowly pulled him in, kissing him on the lips softly.

Noctis hummed softly as the blonde’s lips met his own, as he adjusted his head just a little for a better angle. But other than that, he didn’t do anything to reciprocate…for the moment.

Prompto gave a quiet, inquiring sound as he pressed a little more firmly, already finding the raven’s taste addictive, even without a deep kiss. And the omega merely pressed back, unmoving for almost a minute before he let his hand come up and rest gently on Prompto’s shoulders. The blonde brought his other arm to lightly wrap against Noctis’s waist, slowly pulling him a bit closer still.

A small groan escaped the prince as he reached around, curling his arms around the alpha’s shoulders, before he parted his lips. Pleasantly surprised, Prompto almost didn’t respond right away, but he quickly shook off his surprise to deepen their kiss, curling his tongue around Noctis’s, giving a soft moan. Humming deeply, Noctis adjusted his hold and tilted his head, a deep moan of his own escaping him.

The alpha shivered slightly at the sound, giving a low groan as he continued to taste the omega, and then lightly massaging the area at the base of the raven’s skull where his hand was. A heavy moan rumbled from the prince’s throat, as he finally started moving his tongue against Prompto’s in turn. Prompto groaned a bit louder this time as he pressed a little harder, before a low alpha rumble sounded from his chest. It was definitely a pleased sound, though.

And Noctis, in turn, purred from the back of his throat…

Which was exactly when the doorbell rang. The blonde pulled away with a grumble, breathing a little heavily.

“We’ll resume this after dinner,” he murmured, pecking the raven’s cheek before regretfully pulling away and getting up to snag his wallet and get the pizza. He kept it quick with Marino this time, not wanting to chat like usual, giving the excuse that he needed to use the bathroom. Once he shut the door and had returned to Noctis with a couple of plates and a soda for each other them, he smiled at the omega.

“You’re a good kisser,” he told him. “You sure you haven’t kissed anyone before me?”

“Who would I have?” Noctis asked in turn, shrugging his shoulders.

“True. Then you’re a natural,” Prompto chuckled, handing him a plate and setting the box in front of them.

“Thanks… I guess.”

“Did you like me kissing you? Or do you think I was starting to go too far?” the alpha asked, genuinely curious. “I just want to know what the limits are so I don’t push any boundaries with you.”

“I just…I don’t think it’s _needed_ …not really…” Noctis admitted as he picked up a slice of pizza.

“Noct… I told you before, I want to make my omega feel special, valued, and treasured, no matter what. Even though we’re not mated, I still really do like to consider you as my omega… And so I want to treat you like how you deserve to be treated: as someone special,” Prompto said softly, grabbing a slice as well. “Unless…you’re still unsure?”

“No! It’s not…I just…” Noctis stopped and sighed. “I don’t mean it like _that_ … I just mean that I don’t think it’s necessary to…be that close. Just being around you is enough.”

“It is for me, too, but I also want to make sure you _are_ comfortable with me…whenever you’re…y’know, ready…” the blonde explained. “And if that means occasionally taking small steps towards that, then great. Even if it’s something as simple as kissing.”

“I know…” Noctis sighed softly. “Just not sure…when that is, yanno?”

“I understand, I really do, Noct. But that’s why I’m taking baby steps. I’d _much_ rather do that than rush into mating and scar you when you’d be stuck with me,” Prompto murmured. Leaning over and kissing Noctis’s cheek briefly, he added, “Kissing you can keep me content for now. I’m not going anywhere, and I won’t leave you just because you want to wait. That would be extremely petty and shallow of me. I’m not going to just lust after you…because I love you.”

Noctis allowed a small smile of appreciation at the words. “Thank you, Prompto…”

“Anytime, Noct,” the alpha smiled softly. “Now let’s eat up, before it all gets cold.”

“Right,” the omega said softly, nodding his head before going back to his food. As night fell while they ate, the only light in the living room came from the TV and the string of lights in the blanket fort. And surprisingly, it made for an almost romantic atmosphere.

When he noticed this, Noctis almost snorted. “…is this another reason why you did this?” he asked.

“What are talking about?” Prompto questioned.

“The atmosphere?” Noct clarified.

“And if I did?”

“Mmm…nothing. Just curious,” Noctis said simply.

“Do you like it, though?” the blonde inquired. “I did it for you, after all.”

“Hmm…it’s nice…” the prince murmured lazily.

“Glad you like it, then,” Prompto chuckled after he swallowed his last bite of pizza. Once Noctis had finished his own pizza half, he hummed softly, as he settled back on the blanket. The alpha laid back on the blanket as well, pushing away the remnants of their meal so the stuff wouldn’t be in the way. Once the plates and box were moved, he tugged Noctis to him, holding him close and kissing the corner of his lips.

“…hm?” Noctis hummed lazily as he looked up at Prompto through half-shut eyes.

“Just wanted to kiss you,” Prompto murmured, smiling warmly as he nuzzled the top of Noctis’s head affectionately. His actions weren’t to pursue anything more, just being affectionate.

“Hmm…kay…” Noctis murmured softly, shutting his eyes slowly. The blonde soon turned off the PS4 and TV, before softly kissing the raven’s forehead.

“Love you, Noct,” he whispered, before falling asleep as well.

“…mmm…” the prince hummed quietly, settling against Prompto quietly.

 

X*X(Noctis’s Birthday, Saturday)X*X

“I’ll be honest, Noct, I’m a bit nervous to meet your dad. Even though we’re still keeping our relationship under wraps…” Prompto admitted as he got dressed. “Does he even know about me? Let alone that I know?”

“He knows about you, yeah,” Noctis said as he pulled out the jacket to his raiment, along with the tie that went with it. “He’s also one of the people who said I should let you know.”

“Really? Even though he’s never met me?” the blonde blinked, surprised, as he paused in buttoning up his dark red dress shirt. He hadn’t had to wear it for a while, but surprisingly, his dress shirt and pants still fit nicely.

“That’s just how he is…” Noctis said simply as he fixed his tie before he pulled on his jacket.

“Well, let’s just hope he’s okay with us being together if he figures it out…” Prompto sighed, before sliding his dress pants on and fastening them and then buckling the black leather belt with it. He finally turned and chanced a look at the omega, before letting out a low, impressed whistle. “Lookin’ good, Noct~”

“Thanks,” Noctis said solemnly as he adjusted his hair properly. “Keep in mind; no one else but my family and retainers know about me _like that_ …so I’m going to have to ask you to keep the displays of affection to a minimum. Alright?”

“I figured. I promise I’ll behave,” the alpha assured the raven. Chuckling, he added, “Besides, tomorrow is ours.”

Noctis regarded him briefly, before he smirked and walked over…and then suddenly tugged him in by his collar and kissed him firmly. Prompto gave a surprised noise, before kissing back with a pleased hum. When they parted, though, he smirked at Noctis, looping his arms around the prince’s waist loosely.

“That should keep me satisfied until we get back,” he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to Noctis’s forehead.

“Good,” Noctis chuckled softly, as he let go of Prompto’s collar. “C’mon; Iggy’s probably already waiting with the Regalia.”

“Point taken. Don’t want to keep him waiting,” the blonde laughed lightly, before pocketing his phone as they left. Ignis was, indeed, waiting down in the parking lot at the Regalia, and he nodded in greeting to the pair as they climbed in. “Hey Ignis,” Prompto greeted.

“Hello, you two,” the beta smiled faintly. “Ready?”

“As good as…” Noctis mumbled. “Let’s just get this over with…”

“You’ll be just fine. I’ll be with you every step of the way, if I can,” the alpha murmured, taking Noctis’s hand in his lightly as Ignis began the drive to the Citadel.

“I know… Thank you…” the prince murmured, squeezing his hand softly.

“…Do you think…we should even tell your dad? Or should we just wait?”

“I dunno… If we get the opportunity, maybe…”

“We’ll get to tell him sooner or later,” the blonde smiled soothingly, as Ignis pulled up to the Citadel. “Here we go…”

“Right… Time to face the music,” Noctis said simply, as he stepped out after Ignis had opened the door for him. Prompto climbed out after him, and in the back of his mind, he really wished they didn’t have to hide their relationship. Eventually they wouldn’t, that much he was sure of, but right now, it kinda sucked.

Ignis escorted them inside, and Gladio met them at the entrance, falling into place a slight distance behind the pair. When they reached the ballroom, Prompto’s eyes widened, as he’d never been inside the Citadel before, obviously.

Everything was elaborately decorated, with several long tables with various snacks, hor d’oeurves, and desserts on them, and there were already many people milling about, but when the doors opened to reveal Noctis upon his arrival, there was a slight…almost excitement in the air, but not quite. Prompto couldn’t quite place it.

Noctis, naturally, didn’t pay attention to it as he wordlessly walked into the room. Anyone looking at him at that instant wouldn’t be able to guess that the prince was actually an omega, rather than the alpha that they all clearly believed him to be. And this seemed to be old news for Noctis, as he walked silently, barely looking up at anyone.

Prompto followed along quietly, trying to ignore the curious stares on him. Obviously they were confused by his presence, as he was clearly not of royal or noble blood. And again, Noctis refused to acknowledge the stares. Instead, he merely kept on walking, until, finally, they reached the far side of the room, where King Regis was speaking quietly to a few people clad in black.

“Who’re they?” Prompto asked quietly before they got too close.

“They’re part of the Kingsglaive…” Noctis whispered. “They mostly work outside on Insomnia, though…”

“Oh…” the alpha nodded as they reached King Regis.

Of the small group, it was one of the Kingsglaive who noticed them first. She was a well-built woman with pitch-black hair done up in two ponytails at the back of her head, but that wasn’t what caught one’s attention upon meeting her; it was the sharp, almost cat-like amber-colored eyes that seemed to regard anyone on the opposing side with a deadly stare. She only relaxed when she turned to the prince and bowed politely, which was enough for the other Kingsglaive members to do the same.

Regis looked up when he noticed this, and smiled warmly at the sight of his son. “Hello, Noctis,” he greeted kindly. He then noticed Prompto, and he looked to the prince in silent inquiry.

“Hello, Father,” Noctis said in return with a small nod. He then gestured to Prompto and said, “This is Prompto. I’ve told you about him previously.”

As he spoke, though, the woman with the amber eyes looked up from under her long bangs just slightly, regarding Prompto with a cold glare and a small growl that rumbled from her throat.

The blonde didn’t want to back down from the challenge, despite not being a highly aggressive alpha himself, but he wasn’t about to start a fight, _especially_ in the Citadel with a Kingsglaive member. However, he did jut his chin out a bit with a soft growl, narrowing his own eyes slightly as his bright blue irises darkened somewhat.

“Stand down,” Regis suddenly told the woman firmly after watching the quiet exchange. “This alpha, Prompto, is fine.”

“…As you wish, Sire…” the woman said, bowing her head again.

Noctis didn’t say anything initially before he addressed the woman calmly. “You needn’t worry, Niche. He’s well aware of what would happen if he steps out of line.”

The woman—Niche—said nothing, but she did bow a little deeper with a small grunt.

Prompto relaxed as she calmed down, before smiling politely at Regis. “It’s nice to meet you, Your Majesty,” he said, bowing slightly. Regis chuckled at that, before waving a hand dismissively.

“I’m well aware of the situation, boys,” he smiled kindly. “Thanks to Gladiolus and Ignis, that is.” Prompto stiffened in shock as he straightened up again, and he sent Noctis a panicked look. Noctis, though, just nodded his head and put a hand on the blonde’s shoulder, squeezing it once.

This drew the attention of a different Kingsglaive member, a stoic-looking blonde man with dark garnet eyes. His expression became even darker than that of the woman from earlier, but he kept his mouth shut. Probably because he wasn’t about to question the matter in the King’s presence and risk either his or the prince’s wrath.

Instead of showing any sort of defiance at that alpha, however, Prompto nearly flinched at the dark look he got. This alpha would easily crush him, given the chance, it seemed, so he wasn’t going to push back.

“…Your Majesty, if there is nothing more we need to discuss, we shall take our leave to continue our patrol,” Niche said solemnly before the male alpha could say anything else.

“Understood. You’re all dismissed,” Regis nodded.

“Thank you, Sire,” Niche said with another bow, which was copied by her allies, before they walked away.

However, as the blonde alpha passed by Prompto, he growled under his breath, so quietly it could’ve been missed if he hadn’t been right next to Prompto as he went.

“Pathetic…”

And then he was already past the shorter blonde.

Prompto stiffened, before lowering his gaze a little. Damn, was he that bad of an alpha in the eyes of other alphas…? He knew from growing up that he wasn’t popular by any means, and in fact was a freaking bully magnet, but now? His insecurities were starting to crawl back from the recesses of his mind…and just from one person.

Given that he was standing right next to him, Noctis noticed almost immediately. “Prom?” he murmured one the Kingsglaive had left.

“Am I…pathetic…?” the blonde asked quietly. The soft question caught Regis’s attention, and he listened carefully, a bit concerned for the boy now.

“What…? No! Of course not! What gave you that idea?”

“Just…one of the Kingsglaive muttered it under his breath as he passed…” Prompto sighed. “Kinda…reminded me of when the other alphas would make fun of me for how I feel about omegas…”

Regis frowned upon hearing the information. He felt that this boy, Prompto, definitely didn’t deserve or need to feel insecure about his beliefs. He would more than likely have a word with Hyung later, as he had a strong feeling it was him, based on the look the blonde man had gained when Noctis had simply placed a hand on Prompto’s shoulder.

And Noctis had probably realized it as well, as he groaned in annoyance. “Oh for the love of…! Hyung, seriously?!” he growled, before he sighed and turned to Prompto again. “Prom… don’t let him get to you, alright? Hyung’s from Gonryun…their relations between alphas and omegas are completely different.”

“All right…” the alpha murmured, smiling lightly at Noctis in thanks.

Noctis merely smiled in turn, before he turned to his father. “I’m guessing Luna couldn’t make it, huh?”

“Sadly, no. Perhaps next year, but we’ll see,” Regis replied.

“With Niflheim being the way they are currently, that might be difficult…” Noctis sighed softly. “But it would be nice if she could make it.”

“I’m sure she will at some point,” Prompto said. “After all, I highly doubt she’d want to be stuck there forever.”

The prince laughed lightly, nodding. “Yeah…and I’m betting Ravus would appreciate it, too…”

“Who’s Ravus?” the blonde asked, confused.

“Luna’s older brother. Anyway…want me to get some drinks for us?”

“Nah, I’ll get them,” Prompto assured him, before heading over to the tables where the drinks and snacks were set up.

Thankfully, the drinks section was neatly divided in alcoholic and non-alcoholic, which made it much easier to figure out which to grab. Technically they weren’t old enough to consume alcohol yet, after all, and getting the Crown Prince of Lucis drunk in front of his father was probably NOT the smartest thing he could do.

Just as he was about to reach for a glass, though, the one next to it got swiped up. And when he looked over, he realized that it just so happened to be the same alpha that had insulted him previously—Hyung, was it?

Prompto nearly froze up, but he quickly snagged up a couple of glasses for himself and Noctis before trying to hurry off without incident.

However, before he could get very far, Hyung’s cold voice snarled out, “…you’re advised not to deliver that to the prince.”

Pausing, the teen then glared at Hyung, now starting to get annoyed. “And why would that be?” he snorted.

The taller alpha chose not to reply immediately, as he instead downed his own drink in a single swig. Once he had, though, he turned to Prompto with a dark frown. “Are you honestly asking _me_ that?” he snarled icily. “Are _you_ not the one needing to know that answer already?”

The younger alpha nearly snarled, before a voice yelled at Hyung.

“Hyung! Back off, and just tell him a straight answer for once,” the voice snapped, and the owner soon revealed herself as she came over to Prompto with an apologetic look. “Sorry, that one’s got carrot juice in it,” she apologized. “Lemme get you something different.”

Hyung glared Iris down coldly, but when the brunette refused to budge, he merely snorted and walked away, possibly to return to his rounds.

As she looked over the table, she said, “Noctis hates carrots the most out of all veggies. With that drink, you can’t really tell at a glance, so I don’t blame you for not knowing better.”

“Thanks,” the blonde told her gratefully, realizing she was a beta as she handed him a different glass in exchange for one of the ones he held.

“Anytime! You’re Prompto, right?” she guessed.

“Yeah, but how’d you know?” Prompto frowned.

“I heard Gladdy and Ignis saying really nice things about you, and figured you were the same guy when I saw you with Noctis when you guys got here,” she giggled. “I’m Iris, by the way. Gladdy’s younger sister.”

“Well, nice to meet you, Iris,” the alpha smiled. “I’d better get back before Noct starts to wonders what happened.”

“No problem. And don’t worry about Hyung. I’ll make sure he lays off.”

“That’d be nice,” Prompto sighed. “Thanks again, Iris.” He then left, returning to Noctis and Regis.

Noctis looked up as the pair approached, and he blinked a bit at the sight of Iris. “Ah, hey Iris.”

“Hey, sorry, Hyung was being an ass about the drinks. So I stepped in,” she sighed. “Ignis really should have labeled the drinks for those who don’t know.”

At that news, the prince sighed heavily, shaking his head. “Seriously?” he mumbled.

“Unfortunately,” the beta nodded. “Want me to get Gladdy to watch him?”

“No… No, that’s okay…”

“Are you sure, Noctis?” Regis asked.

“Yeah…” Noctis confirmed. “Knowing him, he probably just wants to ensure Prompto’s up to the task.”

“Well, being a prick won’t get you very far with that,” Iris shrugged. Prompto frowned at Noctis’s comment, before sighing.

“He still didn’t need to call me pathetic earlier,” he grumbled.

“That’s just how he is, really…” Noctis murmured.

“Perhaps if he knew how Prompto would treat his omega, then he might lessen up,” Regis suggested. “You may need to have a word with him, Noctis.”

“…Good point,” Noctis said softly. “I’ll have a word with him in the morning.”

“Thanks, Noct,” the blonde murmured.

“Don’t worry about it,” Noctis said with a smile.

“You guys really do mesh well together,” Iris giggled, and Prompto chuckled.

“I’d like to think so,” he laughed lightly.

Noctis smiled, just as someone came over, carrying a plate of snacks. When he saw who it was, though, he frowned briefly. The red-haired woman didn’t seem to notice it, or she didn’t pay attention to it. Instead, she nodded her head politely as she held it out to the royals.

Regis looked at the plate, before saying, “I’ll pass, but thank you, Irene.”

“…Thank you, Irene,” Noctis said softly, before he looked to Prompto.

“What’s up?” the alpha frowned.

Noctis shook his head softly, telling him quietly that nothing was wrong. “Do you want something, Prompto?”

“I’m…gonna hold off for now,” Prompto replied, a bit worried now.

Irene nodded softly, briefly turning to Iris as well.

“No, but thank you, Irene,” the beta declined.

After nodding once more, Irene quietly turned and walked away.

“What was that all about?” the blonde asked quietly.

“…” Noctis regarded Prompto for a moment, before he whispered, “We may have an uninvited guest…”

Prompto froze for a split second, before he growled lowly.

“Just keep an eye out,” the prince murmured, reaching out and briefly rubbing the blonde’s hand.

The alpha nodded slightly, but he stiffened when he somehow heard a faint click, before he looked about, frowning darkly. Suddenly, a gunshot rang out through the ballroom, and immediately, Prompto tackled Noctis to the floor, yelling, “Look out!!” He was just in time, as a split second was all it took for a bullet to strike the floor near the raven…aimed at where his head would have been.

Almost immediately, panic ensued as people tried to run away from what was happening. However, before the assassin could shoot again, he screamed and reached for his neck, staggering back with a choked gargle. And barely a moment later, he was thrown down to the floor with a well-aimed kick to his face, with the gun being kicked out of his hand.

“Fuck…!” Noctis choked out in surprise. “That…was a little too sudden…”

“You okay?” the blonde asked worriedly, helping the omega back to his feet.

“Yeah, I’m fine…” Noctis murmured with a nod, just as Niche came walking over.

“Who was the culprit?” Regis asked firmly when she got close.

“We don’t know…yet,” Niche said firmly as she reached up to her lips and removed what seemed to be a small toothpick from between her teeth. “Hyung’s taken him downstairs to help figure that out. The ID card that was on ‘m was fake. Damn good one, too. Had the systems fooled for a minute. Gonna need some time on this one.”

“Understood. Report to me when you discover more information,” the King nodded. “Dismissed.”

“How’d you know that they were about to shoot, Prompto?” Iris inquired once Niche had left.

“I heard a gun click. I’m a self-taught gunman myself, so I recognized it when I heard it,” Prompto explained. That bit of news made Noctis look at him curiously, but he said nothing more on the matter.

“Wait, you’re self-taught?” Iris blinked, surprised.

“Yeah, well, when my parents left, my dad somehow left behind his gun, and I just…kinda copied from watching movies, shows, and games, and…got pretty good,” the alpha admitted, rubbing the back of his neck shyly.

Finally, Noctis decided to speak up again. “‘Pretty good’ might be acceptable in most cases, but it may be smart to get you some actual training with it. Before you shoot your own foot.”

“That I actually haven’t done. I’ve been to a shooting range, and a lot of people were impressed with my accuracy,” Prompto replied, making Regis chuckle.

“Perhaps we should see how you do some time, then,” he smiled.

“Sounds like a plan,” Noctis said with a chuckle.

“Really? Geez, pressure’s on, then,” the blonde mumbled, rubbing his neck awkwardly.

Noctis merely chuckled softly, even as he regarded the room. Thankfully the Kingsglaive were working hard to calm down all the guests, and doing a well enough job at it. It would certainly take a bit longer, but at least there wasn’t absolute panic.

“Noctis, how about you show Prompto around?” Regis suggested suddenly, and Iris smiled.

“I’ll go check in with Gladdy,” she said before leaving.

Startled by the sudden suggestion, Noctis almost didn’t respond. However, he did frown once it dawned on him completely. “Are you sure that’s okay…? I mean, what if there are more ‘guests’ that want to say hello?”

“I’ll arrange for something, don’t worry, my boy,” the King assured him.

“…Alright. Thanks, Dad,” the prince said with a smile, before turning to Prompto. “C’mon, let’s go.”

“Sounds good,” Prompto nodded, before following after the raven. “I’m glad your dad took it so well, y’know?” he commented as they walked through the halls.

“Yeah… He’s cool like that.”

“Sounds like it,” the alpha smiled lightly.

Noctis smiled as they turned a left. “I think you’re gonna love this one,” he said simply, right before he opened the door on the other side.

As soon as what he was seeing registered, Prompto’s jaw dropped, and he gazed out at the garden in awe. “It’s so much better than mine…!” he breathed, before looking at Noctis. “And you were impressed with mine, how?”

Noctis merely chuckled as they stepped out into the garden. The large trees curled over the garden to provide a shade during the daytime, while a long row of flowerbeds followed the curvature of the paths, with more than few small ponds scattered around as well.

“Hey, I’m used to this being here. I’ve never seen them outside of the Citadel.”

“Still, my garden’s nothing compared to this,” the blonde murmured. This made the prince smile, even as he kept moving.

“…Who do you think your dad is having…y’know…” Prompto questioned as they walked, keeping it discreet in case someone unwanted was listening in.

“I have a guess…” Noctis murmured, reaching down and grabbing a small pebble.

“Who?”

But rather than respond, Noctis tossed the pebble across the nearest lake, skipping along the surface. And the moment it reached the other side, someone’s black boot stepped down on it, before it lightly kicked it back with enough force that it reached Noctis again.

“Yep. It’s Valanx…” he whispered.

“Who’s Valanx?” the alpha asked softly.

“He’s one of the ‘Shadow Chasers’ from Morocc,” Noctis whispered back. “They work from the shadows and handle various undercover missions.”

“Geez, heavy stuff…” Prompto muttered.

“I suppose… He’s always been a bit secretive, so I don’t know _too_ much about him…”

“Well, all things considered, that’s not surprising,” the blonde shrugged.

“True,” the prince agreed. “And he’s good at his job, so can’t complain there.”

“Then there ya go,” Prompto chuckled.

Noctis smiled as they stopped by a particularly large tree, just beside one of the ponds. “This is my favorite spot in the garden. It’s a nice place to take a quick power nap.”

“Of course it is,” the alpha smirked. “But I’ll take your word for it.”

Noctis laughed as he moved over and leaned back against the tree. “Iggy’d kill me if I soiled my suit…so can’t lay down to prove my point, I’m afraid.”

“I wouldn’t blame him, though. You look good like that,” Prompto told him honestly with a soft smile.

“Oh really?” Noctis chuckled softly.

“I wouldn’t make it up,” the blonde pointed out.

“Uh-huh…”

“What, you don’t believe me?”

The prince merely chuckled as he leaned back properly, and looked over the pond quietly.

“Okay, are you trying to make a picture perfect moment for me? Because I only have my phone, not my actual camera,” Prompto whined.

His only response was a small chuckle. “I’m sure you could manage with just that.”

“Won’t look nearly as good later, though…” the alpha mumbled as he took out his phone, snapping a few pictures of the omega. Noctis merely laughed softly, as he tucked his hair behind his ear.

As Prompto snapped a few shots, though, he happened to spot something up in the tree branches above the prince. It took him a bit to realize what it was, though; as it almost seemed to blend in with the surrounding leaves.

“What’s up?”

“Hm?” the prince hummed curiously.

“You see something up there?” Prompto questioned, his bright blue eyes curious.

“Up where…?” Curious, Noctis looked up. After a moment, though, he realized what the blonde was referencing, but he looked over and said, “No idea what you’re talking about.”

“All right,” the blonde chuckled when it clicked, before snapping a few more pictures of the omega.

“Hmm…” Noctis hummed softly. “…Hey.”

“Hm?”

“…You’re staying the night, right?”

“Of course, Noct,” Prompto smiled warmly.

“…Cool.”

“You gonna show me your room, then?” the alpha inquired.

“Sure. Let’s go up.”

“Sounds good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, I was exhausted from my work week yesterday...


	8. Chapter 8

X*X(October 25th, Prompto’s Birthday)X*X

“Nooooct! Where are you taking me?” Prompto whined/laughed as he was driven to his birthday destination, blindfolded. Noctis was behind the wheel for once, seeing as he had somehow managed to get Ignis to allow him to drive the Regalia for the day.

“You’ll just have to wait and see,” Noctis chuckled as he took another turn. He’d memorized the entire drive over the weekend, and it had been a real hassle to keep it hidden from the blonde in question.

It had also taken a bit of effort to convince his father that he could go. Thankfully, he’d been able to arrange it…if only because he had to agree to having Niche and Valanx trailing him, just in case. He hadn’t seen them yet, but he was pretty sure they were around somewhere.

“You’re such a tease…” the blonde pouted, but he was smiling nonetheless.

Laughing softly, Noctis spotted the exit he needed and quietly turned into it. As he looked into the mirror, he easily spotted another car following close behind. ‘ _Ah, there they are,_ ’ he thought with a chuckle, before he silently drove along the road.

“Almost there,” he said after a moment.

“Finally!” Prompto exclaimed, laughing. “I can’t wait to take off this blindfold. Why not wait until we’re close to put it on me, anyway?”

“ _Duh_ , otherwise you’ll see where we’re going by the signs,” Noctis laughed as he climbed out of the car. “Just keep it on for a while,” he said firmly, as he walked over to help Prompto out.

“Oh, all right…” the alpha chuckled, allowing the raven to help him out. He then sniffed the air, catching some familiar scents. “Wait a sec… This smells familiar…!”

“Oh, does it?” Noctis chuckled, briefly looking over as he watched Niche and Valanx—a pale man with dark green hair—get out from the other car. Once the pair had walked off, out of immediate sight, Noctis led Prompto along the path. “…Alright; go ahead.”

However, just before Prompto could reach up…

“Kweh~”

Prompto gasped excitedly, before quickly taking the blindfold off, and grinning widely when he saw the Chocobo standing in front of him. He looked at Noctis with a shocked, yet happy look.

“You brought me to the Chocobo Post?!” he demanded. “Thank you so much, Noct!!”

“Heh, glad you like,” Noctis chuckled.

“Like?! I LOVE this place! I haven’t been here in years!” the blonde told him, before turning back to the Chocobo he’d seen. “Choco?” he said, unsure if this was him.

“Kweh!”

“It _is_ you!” he laughed, reaching out and petting the large gold-feathered bird. “It’s been so long! You were just a chick when I last saw you!”

“Kweh!” the Chocobo chirped as Prompto moved over and hugged him around his neck. And Noctis merely chuckled.

“As a chick, huh? So you haven’t met his own chicks yet, eh?”

“Wait, he has his own now?!” Prompto yelped, grinning excitedly. Noctis smirked a little, before he looked to Choco with a raised eyebrow. And as if the bird knew what he meant, Choco reared his head and gave a trilling cry.

And shortly after, a group of 5 Chocochicks came rushing over, chirping happily, followed closely by another adult Chocobo.

“OH MY SIX!!” the alpha very nearly squealed, before crouching down and allowing the Chocochicks to crowd around him. Immediately, Prompto began to love on them, petting them happily as they chirped. Noctis chuckled as the other Chocobo walked over, reaching over to rub the bird’s neck. The blonde laughed happily as he played with the chicks a bit, even as one jumped to land on his head, making him blink before laughing again.

Noctis laughed warmly, shaking his head. “Having fun?”

“Definitely!” Prompto grinned, before reaching up and taking the Chocochick off his head, setting it on the ground again before straightening up. “I can’t resist Chocobos, as you’ve seen!”

“Yes, I did,” Noctis said with a smile. “Unfortunately, Choco and Sora aren’t available with their kids…but there’s plenty others to take for a ride. _If_ you feel up to it…”

“Dude, I am _always_ up for a Chocobo ride!” the alpha replied eagerly.

“Nice. So…shall we get to it then?”

“Lead the way,” Prompto chuckled.

Still smiling, Noctis moved through the Chocobo post after they’d said goodbye to Choco, Sora and their chicks. Finally, they reached the Chocobos that were ready to take for a ride. “Here we are,” Noctis said with a smile as he lightly patted one of them on the neck.

“Awesome,” the blonde smiled softly, gently petting another’s beak, before patting it on the neck and climbing into the saddle. “Come on, Noct!”

“Heh. Sounds good,” Noctis said with a smile as he climbed on his own Chocobo. He caught sight of two familiar faces doing the same from the corner of his eyes, but he didn’t mention it. “Let’s go!” he said, after which he lightly kicked the bird’s side to get her to move.

“Right behind you!” Prompto nodded, nudging his own Chocobo’s sides, spurring him into following. Like that, the pair moved along through the woods around the Post. They didn’t stray TOO far, given safety issues, but rushing through the woods was still enjoyable enough.

“Hey, Noct?” the alpha called after a while of this.

“Yeah?”

“Wanna race at the tracks?”

The omega smirked. “If you think you’re good enough, sure.”

“Oh, I’m plenty good,” Prompto chuckled.

“Let’s go then,” Noctis said, leading the way to the tracks. The blonde nodded, following along, and they lined up at the starting line.

“Ready to lose?” he smirked.

Noctis chuckled. “We’ll see who’s about to lose here…”

“Whoever loses has to make a blanket fort tonight at the winner’s place, then,” Prompto snickered…right before the starting pistol sounded, and Prompto urged his Chocobo into dashing ahead.

“You and your blanket forts!” Noctis laughed as he took off after Prompto.

“They’re so fun, though! You can’t deny that!” the alpha shouted, which was answered by a loud laugh.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

“…oy, Valanx.”

The Kingsglaive member hummed softly, only briefly glancing over to his colleague, before he turned his gaze back to the race between their lord and the blonde alpha. He did not say anything else, but he didn’t need to. Niche continued anyway from where she was sitting on the back of her own Chocobo.

“…what’s your thought on this alpha?”

The question didn’t surprise him; it had been the hot topic of discussion amongst the Kingsglaive (the alphas especially) for months now, and even now, very few knew what to think of it. The only exception to the rule being Hyung, really, who made it a point to bitch about it every so often, saying things along the line of this new arrival not being good for the pack or whatever. Valanx never listened long enough to the other’s ramblings for long, but he was aware they happened quite frequently.

“…my thoughts on this matter are irrelevant,” he said finally as the two racers took a sharp turn. “What matters is the wish of our Lord.”

“Figured you'd say that…” Niche said, not sounding the least bit surprised. For a while, that seemed to be the end of the conversation, but Valanx knew her better than just to say; she expected him to ask her, and she would be ‘sulky’ until he did.

By the way, she would vehemently deny sulking under any circumstance.

“…and your thoughts?” he asked finally.

“…Too skinny. Barely any real muscle aside from his legs; he runs a lot. Likely hasn’t touched a blade of any kind aside from a kitchen knife.”

“…you think he’s unworthy.” A statement, not a question.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Niche snarled. “It is the alpha’s duty to see to the protection. What use is an alpha that can barely protect himself? How would he protect his mate?!”

“…assign the Kingsglaive.”

Niche looked at him dryly when he said that. “Not funny, Val…”

“Perhaps not… but you must admit, it is true. Our Lord already has enough protection with us looking after him. Does he truly require an alpha that would make our job obsolete?”

“…” Niche didn’t reply immediately, but eventually she scoffed. “Goddammit… hate it when you’re right…”

“Old news…” Valanx replied calmly. As the two racers ran along another lap, he said, “I am aware some would rather see him gone… but, if you must know, I believe he is good for our Lord.”

“Oh yeah? How, exactly?” Niche snorted.

“…he is happier now. He smiles more often. The tension in his shoulder has gone. I believe, for the first time in years, he is truly at ease with who… _what_ , he is.” He paused here to actually glance her way from the corner of his eyes. “I’m certain you’ve noticed as well.”

“…”

The lack of response was answer enough, and he turned back to the race. “…however… there is _one_ thing that worries me…”

“…hm? What?”

“…his surname…it is Argentum.”

Niche immediately shot up from her slightly reclined position, almost making her Chocobo squawk. “Argentum?! From Prontera?!”

“…I believe so…” Valanx murmured. “…but there is no documentation of his birth.”

“…adopted?”

“Yes… but even then there requires to be some form of identification… even if he was left upon one’s doorstep…”

This made the female alpha hum in thought. “…we may have to look into this…”

“At the very least…while I will not stand between this boy and our Lord…if the family proves an issue…it needs to be dealt with…”

“…agreed…”

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

“YES!!” Prompto crowed as he crossed the finish line right before Noctis. “Hah! I won!” he laughed.

“Dammit!!” Noctis snarled softly, before he chuckled. “Okay, fiiiine… I’ll let you have that one.”

“Just admit it: I’m better at Chocobo racing!” the blonde grinned.

“Not on your life!” was the almost immediate response.

“Then you get to set up our blanket fort when we get home,” Prompto replied smugly.

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Hey, I was gonna let you off easy if you admitted it,” the alpha smirked.

“As if you would…” Noctis chuckled softly as he began to guide his Chocobo back to the pens.

“I was!” Prompto argued. Leaning close to the omega from his Chocobo, he whispered, “I was just gonna ask for a kiss when we got home if you admitted it.”

“Oh? So now I don’t have to give you one?” the omega teased.

“I think you know what I meant,” the blonde snorted.

“Oh I know… but my question still stands.”

“No, you still gotta give me one. It’ll just be a quick one,” Prompto snickered.

Noctis rolled his eyes, but he was smirking lightly. “If you think you can stand it, sure.”

The alpha pouted, before groaning. “And I’m supposed to resist your adorability, how?”

“Oh I don’t know… A lot of effort?” he chuckled.

“Apparently too much for me right now…” Prompto grumbled. “You could dominate the world with your face. It’s too cute.” Noctis smirked as he stepped down from his Chocobo, patting the bird’s neck. The blonde did the same, dismounting from his own Chocobo, petting its beak with a gentle smile.

“All right, so, what else do you have planned for me, Prince Sneaky?” he asked with an amused look.

Noctis hummed as he looked up to the heavens, frowning. “Actually, we should probably get back…before dark falls, I mean.”

“True. Don’t wanna deal with any daemons…” Prompto agreed.

“Yeah…c’mon, let’s get back to the Regalia.”

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

When they got back to the apartment complex, Prompto stretched with a groan from being so stiff due to the drive. They had managed to make it back before nightfall, thankfully.

“That was a lot of fun,” he smiled lazily at Noctis.

“I agree,” Noctis chuckled, a mischievous smile on his face.

“And just what is that look for?” the alpha snorted.

“Hmm…I wonder…” Noctis chuckled as he led the way up to his room.

“Nooooct!” Prompto whined, following after. When the raven opened his apartment door, however, the blonde’s jaw dropped when he saw their blanket fort was already set up, string lights hung, a plush blanket on the floor for them to rest on, and soft pillows forming a nest-like look for them. “Wha…?”

“What? Thought I wasn’t gonna come through?” the prince asked with a cheeky smirk.

“…You’re too good to me,” Prompto murmured, before shutting the door and gently pulling Noctis in for a kiss. That earned him a chuckle from the omega, before he reached up and wrapped his arms around the blonde’s shoulders. The alpha hummed happily into the kiss, before pulling back slightly.

“I should be the one spoiling you, y’know. Not the other way around,” he chuckled.

“Perhaps…but you forget that _I_ am still the prince,” Noctis pointed out with a smirk. “It’s my duty to look after my citizens.”

“And I’m your alpha, unless you say otherwise, until we’re truly official, so it’s my job to care for you,” Prompto replied.

“Well, I suggest you get used to me doing something in turn or outclass you when I feel like it~” the prince chuckled, pecking his alpha on the lips briefly.

“Cheeky little shit. But you’re all the more amazing for what you do,” the blonde murmured, moving his hands to the raven’s waist and lightly rubbing his thumbs in small circles on Noctis’s lower back.

Smirking, Noctis murmured, “How about we take this over to our ‘nest’, hm?”

“All right,” Prompto chuckled. He then smirked for a second…right before scooping Noctis up into his arms, bridal style.

“H-hey! Prompto!!” Noctis exclaimed in surprise.

“Come on, lemme spoil you for just a little bit,” the alpha snickered, kissing the raven softly before pulling back and carrying the prince to the blanket fort.

“I-I can walk by myself!” Noctis stammered as he tried to get out of the blonde’s arms.

“Hey, it’s gonna happen eventually, as long as we stay together. Why not get used to it?” Prompto pointed out as he set Noctis down when they reached the fort.

“Ass…” Noctis grumbled.

“You know you love me, though.”

Noctis rolled his eyes, before he settled in the nest quietly. The blonde chuckled, before settling with Noctis in the pillow-nest, holding his omega close, nuzzling his neck softly.

“Hmm… should probably work on dinner soon, I suppose…” Noctis murmured.

“What’d you have in mind?”

“Mmm…not sure…”

“…Want me to take Mama Meg’s annual birthday offer up on a special pizza she makes only for birthdays?” Prompto offered. “She’s only made it on my birthday, and the ones of other customers.”

“Oh? Hmm…sounds good…”

“It’s also veggie-free~”

“Good,” Noctis murmured.

“Then that’s settled,” the alpha smiled, pulling out his phone. Once he’d dialed, he waited for Marino or Mama to answer. “Hey, Mama! You remember what today is, right? …Yup, you got it. Mind if I have it delivered? Thanks. …All right, talk to ya again soon. Bye.” Once he hung up, he kissed Noctis’s neck lightly. “It’ll be here in 20 minutes.”

“…Shouldn’t you have told her to send it to the apartment next door?” Noctis asked after a moment.

“I gotta go back to change anyway. It’ll be fine,” Prompto assured him.

“Hmm…” Instead of saying anything else, Noctis reached out and tugged Prompto a little closer against his back. “…mm…better…” he mumbled.

“Glad to be of service,” the blonde chuckled lightly, tucking his nose into the base of Noctis’s neck. He lightly inhaled the omega’s scent, and he hummed contently. The only response he got from that was a sleepy hum. And, shortly after, Noctis’s breathing had evened out, signaling he’d fallen asleep.

As Prompto held Noctis close, he began to wonder when Noctis would allow him to be at least a little intimate with him. Not sex, of course, as that was still a way out for them, but something less scary, such as a simple hand job or blowjob. Obviously the alpha wouldn’t ask Noctis to do that to him, but he’d much rather pleasure his omega. It was all up to what Noctis was most comfortable with, though.

The prince, of course, didn’t seem aware of the blonde’s thoughts; he merely slept quietly, one of his hands holding onto Prompto’s lightly.

Once it had been about 15 minutes, the alpha gently woke Noctis, kissing his neck softly and whispering, “C’mon, Noct. Pizza will be here soon, and I need to change.”

“…mmm…nu…comfy…” Noctis whined lazily.

“You get me all night long, I promise, but I need to change and get the pizza. Marino will be here with it soon,” Prompto chuckled, nuzzling the raven’s neck.

“Mmm…fiiiiiiine…” he finally conceded, letting go of the blonde’s hand.

“Sorry, love. I’ll be right back, promise,” the blonde smiled, kissing Noctis’s cheek before getting up to go to his apartment.

Noctis sighed a bit as he stood up, ‘ _May as well take a quick shower, I guess…_ ’

Once Prompto was in his apartment, he changed into an old t-shirt and some pajama pants, as it was getting cooler at night now, and he knew Noctis would want him around more for the warmth and comfort. Not that he minded in the least.

The moment Prompto stepped out into the living room, though, he came to the shocking realization that there was someone standing in the middle of the room.

“Holy—”

But before the sound could even start properly, the man moved so swiftly it was as if he had teleported, and a hand clamped down on Prompto’s mouth as he was shoved back against the wall.

“…I suggest you stay quiet…” the man murmured, dark brown eyes regarding him solemnly. Prompto nodded his understanding, before he recognized the man as the one who had been watching over him and Noctis at the omega’s birthday party, mostly due to the fur-lined collar of his jacket that he’d barely been able to make out then.

Once Valanx was sure he would keep quiet, he removed his hand from the shorter alpha’s mouth. The blonde had a bad feeling he was going to be insulted like with Hyung, and he lowered his gaze slightly, nervous.

“…let me make one thing clear…”

“Huh?” Prompto looked up, confused.

“…I am not here to demand you stay away from our Lord…”

“Wait, what? Then why _are_ you here?”

“…I merely have some questions I require answers to…”

“Like…?”

“…our Lord has already told you my job entails working from the shadows…included in this is running a background check on those wishing to come close to our Lord…”

“Well, I have nothing to hide,” the blonde assured him. “I have no dark past.”

“…that much I’ve already discovered and reported to King Regis…” Valanx admitted. “…however, it is not your past I need to know about…”

“What do you mean?”

“…your parents left you four years ago to fend for yourself…yet they still provide you with funds…my questions revolve around why they did this, and where they have gone after…”

“They left when I finished middle school, and the checks they send me come from a different place each time. I have no idea why, or what their motive was for leaving, I’ll be completely honest. I’m just glad I get some sort of funds without having to work my ass off for this stuff,” Prompto answered honestly.

“…I see…different accounts every time?”

“I would think so. I don’t really pay attention,” the blonde confessed, rubbing his neck a little.

“…hmm…” Valanx hummed softly. “…they never said anything about where they went?”

“I haven’t heard from them since they drugged me to sleep the night they left so I didn’t hear or notice them leave until it was too late. And they just acted like it was any other normal night,” Prompto told him quietly, though it clearly hurt to speak of it.

“…I see…” Either Valanx didn’t notice the hurt, or he simply didn’t care. “…very well. That was all.”

“If you’re sure,” the younger alpha said. “I take it this stays between us, and Noct isn’t to know at all, huh?”

“Correct.”

“My lips are sealed, then.”

“Good…” Valanx said simply as he turned and walked toward the far edge of the room. However, suddenly he stopped. “…let me give you some advice…”

“Hm?”

“…the Kingsglaive is watching you… if you wish them to approve you… I advise you to prove to them that you can protect our Lord proper…”

Prompto paused, before looking at Valanx. “…would showing my skill with a gun help?

“…” Valanx looked back over his shoulder a little. “…it would be a start, I suppose…”

“…I’ve tried to use a sword, and it went badly, I’ll be honest,” Prompto mumbled, his hand moving to his back a bit, where the old scar was. Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and he perked up. When he looked back to Valanx, though, he stared when he realized the Shadow Chaser was gone already. Shaking his head a little, the alpha headed to the door, smiling kindly at the sight of Marino.

“Heya man,” he greeted.

“Yo, happy birthday, Prompto!” Marino grinned. “Enjoy your pizza, my man. I gotta run, lots of deliveries tonight, but enjoy! On the house like the past few years.”

“Sounds great,” Prompto chuckled. “Thanks again, Marino. Take care out there!”

“Will do!” Marino nodded, before taking off back to his car. Once he was gone, the blonde headed back to Noctis’s apartment, a faint smile in place.

“Hey Noct, I’m back!” he called once the door was shut. However, when he came in, he realized the prince wasn’t where he’d left him. Not that it took him long to figure out where he went, as he caught the sound of the shower being turned off. Smiling lightly, Prompto grabbed a couple of plates and a soda for each of them from their respective places, before heading back to the pillow nest with everything, and waiting patiently for his omega to return.

A few minutes later, Noctis finally came back, tugging a shirt into place. “Hey,” he said as he walked over.

“Hey you,” the alpha greeted, before gesturing to the pizza with a chuckle. “You almost missed it while it was hot.”

“Uh-huh… I’m not _that_ slow…” Noctis said as he walked over and settled down next to Prompto.

“I know, just teasing,” Prompto snickered, kissing the raven’s cheek.

Noctis hummed softly in reply. “So… What did you bring this time?”

“It’s just a Behemoth, Catoblepas, and Garula meat pizza with extra cheese and a cheese-stuffed crust,” the blonde smirked.

“Niiice,” the prince said with a chuckle as he accepted the plate Prompto gave him.

“Help yourself,” Prompto smiled, opening the box for Noctis.

“Don’t mind if I do,” Noctis chuckled, tearing loose a slice of pizza. “Oh wow,” he said with a smirk as the cheese in the crust dribbled out a bit. “That’s interesting.”

“Told ya, cheese-stuffed crust,” the alpha smiled, pulling off his own slice.

The omega merely smirked, before he took a bite of the pizza slice. “Mmm… Tasty,” he mumbled around a mouthful of meat, cheese, and dough.

“I know, right?” Prompto chuckled before biting into his. Once he swallowed, he added, “Now you see why they only make it for birthdays.”

“Yeah…” Noctis mumbled before he took another bite. “Astrals, Iggy would be horrified if he knew I’m having _this_ for dinner…”

“Then he doesn’t need to know,” the blonde pointed out.

“Well aware…” Noctis nodded.

“Here,” Prompto said suddenly, reaching over to the PS4 controller after wiping his hand on a napkin and turning on the system and the TV. “Just some background noise,” he explained once he had turned on some random movie on Netflix.

“Alright.”

When they finished their dinner, somehow managing it despite how filling it was, Prompto gave a groan as he stretched, before pulling Noctis over to him and lying down with the raven so he was spooning him again. “I can’t believe we finished that off in one sitting,” he chuckled, kissing the prince’s neck lightly.

“Shows how hungry we were…” Noctis murmured lazily.

“Still, this means the food coma’s gonna hit anytime,” the alpha laughed softly, nuzzling the pale neck until his nose was almost against the omega’s scent gland where his neck met his collarbone. It was there that he could truly smell Noctis’s omega scent, and he hummed contently as he inhaled it.

“…hmm… enjoying yourself back there…?” was the sleepy response to that.

“Yup. Can’t help myself. You’re too perfect,” Prompto murmured, kissing the spot softly. He had a bit of a dirty reply, but he bit it back, keeping the moment peaceful.

This made Noctis twitch briefly before he poked Prompto’s hand. “Knock that off…”

“All right,” the blonde conceded, resting his chin on Noctis’s shoulder instead. “…Hey, Noct?”

“…yeah?” However, before Prompto could speak up, Noctis’s phone started ringing. “Oh for…!”

“Worst. Timing. Ever!” Prompto groaned, regretfully letting go of Noctis so he could answer his phone.

Noctis grumbled in annoyance as he reached for his phone. When he looked at who was calling, though, his eyes widened in surprise before he answered…by putting it on speaker. “Vesper,” he said by way of greeting. “Have you considered what I asked of you?”

“I have, Sire,” said a calm, feminine voice from the omega’s phone. “Once again, though, I must reiterate, are you sure you wish _me_ of all Kingsglaive to do this?”

“Well, why not?” Noctis asked in turn as he looked to Prompto. “You’re currently still the number one gunner of the Kingsglaive, after all.”

Prompto’s eyes widened in surprise, before his expression became curious.

“I prefer the term ‘Gunslinger’, Sire, but I suppose there’s no use denying that much.”

‘ _Not that I’d blame her,_ ’ the alpha thought. Gunslinger sounded much cooler than just gunner.

“Yeah, okay… soooo… what do you think?”

“…You said he was home taught, correct?”

“So he says, yeah,” Noctis chuckled as he cocked an eyebrow in Prompto’s direction.

Prompto nodded, confirming this.

“…Then it may be smart to supplement it with extra lessons, yes. If he believes he’s up to it, I see no reason to deny him.”

The blonde quirked a brow, before shrugging. Honestly, he didn’t blame Noctis for wanting to get him lessons, despite not having seen how he can shoot. Other than the arcade thing, of course.

“Great. When can you make some time?”

“I have tomorrow off for training, Sire. If you’ve nothing to do, you can meet me at the training ground.”

Prompto nodded at Noctis, wordlessly telling him this worked.

“Sounds good. We’ll see you tomorrow… is 12 okay?”

“That is fine, Sire. I will see you both tomorrow.”

“Right. See you then.” And then Noctis hung up.

“So… You’re getting me lessons with my gun?” the alpha guessed.

“Yeah… Sorry for not asking first… but I figured it’s the best way to get the Kingsglaive off your back,” the prince explained.

“Good thinking,” Prompto nodded. “And it’s fine. I could probably use some proper lessons, anyway.” He then looped his arms around Noctis’s waist with a smile. “Now, what I was trying to say before was… Thank you for an amazing birthday. It’s the best one I’ve had.” When he finished speaking, he kissed the raven softly.

“Heh… Anytime, Prom,” Noctis murmured, kissing him back. When they parted, the blonde lightly tugged Noctis down with him into lying down on the blanket again.

“Let’s get some sleep. Sounds like tomorrow’s gonna be busy,” he chuckled, holding his omega close.

“Yeah…sounds good…” Noctis murmured.

“Goodnight, Noct… I love you,” Prompto whispered, kissing the raven’s neck briefly before settling.

“Hmmm…” Noctis hummed, before he, too, went under.


	9. Chapter 9

The following morning, Prompto woke up first, unsurprisingly, and he smiled softly at the sight of Noctis curled against him in his hold. He hummed pleasantly, leaning his head down and kissing the prince’s pale neck to wake him.

“Noct… Time to get up. Good morning,” he murmured.

“…mmmm…too early…” Noctis whined.

“We gotta be at the Citadel at noon, though, so we can’t take too long, love,” the alpha chuckled.

“…mm… right, right…” the omega grumbled.

“Sorry, Noct, but we can always come back and nap later after my training session,” Prompto reasoned.

Noctis hummed a little before he nodded and stood up, yawning. “Ugh… need to get my suppressant…”

“All right. I’m gonna go back to my place to change, but I’ll be right back, kay?” the blonde told him, getting up as well.

“Alright.”

Prompto smiled to himself as he left, going to his apartment and getting changed before returning back to Noctis’s. Once he was inside, he said, “Maybe we should consider moving in together, that way we don’t have this back-and-forth thing going anymore.”

“I’ll have to ask Iggy about that one,” Noctis mumbled, before he smirked. “But I don’t think it’ll pose a problem.”

“I’d like to think it wouldn’t, considering I’ve been good,” the alpha chuckled.

That made the prince laugh, before he smiled. “Anyway, what shall we do for breakfast?”

“Not sure, to be honest… Maybe we can just make some eggs and toast? Sorry, I need to go grocery shopping,” Prompto admitted.

“Hmm…oooor…we can go out and grab something before heading over to the Citadel.”

“You have somewhere particular in mind?”

“I think I know something… shall we go?”

“Right behind ya,” the blonde nodded.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

It didn’t take long for the couple to reach what Noctis had in mind. And Prompto wasn’t the least bit surprise when it turned out to be a 24/7 sushi place.

“You’re ridiculous,” Prompto laughed when they reached the place.

“What's wrong with fish?” Noctis chuckled as they took their seats.

“Nothing, just kinda weird to have it this early,” the alpha pointed out.

“Who cares?” was the bemused response.

“Fair enough,” Prompto conceded with a laugh.

As he opened up the menu, Noctis turned to Prompto. “Any idea on what you want?”

“Not a clue. I hardly eat sushi since it’s usually out of my price range,” the blonde confessed.

“Want some pointers…or you taking a boat to try them all out?”

“Well, you know me well enough by now. Give me some pointers,” Prompto replied. Smiling, Noctis moved over a little, and proceeded to point out a few of the sushi that he was sure Prompto would like, gesturing to several different ones in case of. The alpha soon ended up choosing, thanks to Noctis’s recommendations.

As they waited for their order to come in, Noctis stretched his arms over his head. “Whew…”

“Still tired, huh?”

“A bit…”

“Like I said, we’ll get some rest when we get back later,” Prompto assured him with a smile.

“Great,” Noctis murmured. They didn’t have much more time to speak about it, as the server came back with their orders just then. “Thanks,” the prince said with a nod. The blonde nodded in thanks as well, before beginning to eat.

“Damn, this is really good!” he grinned. “Haven’t had sushi in years.”

Noctis laughed as he popped his own sushi into his mouth. “Told you,” he said once he’d swallowed.

“Yeah, yeah,” Prompto chuckled, popping another bite into his mouth. Chuckling, Noctis went back to his own breakfast.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

When they finished their meal, Noctis texted Ignis on where to pick them up from. It wasn’t long before the familiar purr of the Regalia’s engine reached their ears, and the couple headed out to meet up with the Advisor and climb into the car.

“Morning, Ignis,” Prompto greeted once they were in with the doors shut.

“Good morning to you both,” Ignis replied. “Did you have fun yesterday?”

“Definitely,” the alpha grinned, taking Noctis’s hand in his.

“Yeah… Was cool,” Noctis chuckled out.

“And I beat Noct in a Chocobo race,” Prompto chuckled, smirking at the omega and making Ignis chuckle.

“Yeah, well don’t get too cocky,” Noctis pointed out as he shoved Prompto’s shoulder. The blonde merely laughed, making Ignis smile faintly at their interaction as he pulled up to the Citadel.

“We’re here,” he announced.

“Right. Thanks, Specs,” the omega said as he opened the door and stepped out. “C’mon, Prom. Let’s go find Vesper.”

“I’m right behind ya,” Prompto smiled, following after.

Getting past the guards by the front gates was easy enough and within the Citadel’s walls, no one really bothered with Prompto. They’d seen him there enough over the past few months already to be used to the alpha’s presence. It was when they started going deeper and further down into the almost labyrinth-like training areas that people began to watch him with a hint of caution. Not all, but quite a number of them.

None of them were people Prompto had met previously, but they all looked at him with a look that said they knew _exactly_ who he was.

The blonde wanted to cringe at the knowing looks, but he kept his composure as they continued on.

Noctis didn’t seem too affected initially, but anyone who looked at them for longer than was necessary received a scathing look from the prince, making them hurry on ahead. “…I swear…” Noctis murmured softly.

“Why are they looking at us like that? Is it because of me?” Prompto asked quietly.

“…yeah. Keep in mind; it’s their job to protect the Line of Lucis…so they’re always…wary of newcomers…” Noctis sighed out.

“Well, if you’re so at ease with me, you’d think they’d lay off,” the alpha grumbled.

“Some of them, maybe…but others…well, you’ve seen…”

“Yeah…” Prompto sighed, remembering Hyung.

*BANG BANG BANG*

Noctis almost jumped out of his shoes at the sound, before he chuckled. “Ah, there she is.”

“What, you guys have a shooting range here, too?” the blonde snorted in amusement, trying to calm his heart down from hearing the sudden gunshots as well.

“Course we do. C’mon,” Noctis said calmly…before he stopped. “Oh right…piece of advice…”

“Hm?”

“Do _not_ bring up her…‘stature’…ever.”

“O…kay…?” Prompto uttered, confused.

As they rounded the corner and entered into what was clearly the shooting range, it took a few moments to spot the lone occupant of the room, as she was jumping and running around the room while firing both her guns at the dozens of seemingly randomly moving targets circling around her.

And despite the seemingly randomness of their patterns, every single shot was a perfect bull’s-eye.

The blonde kept his mouth shut when he saw her, thanks to Noctis’s advice, but he wasn’t one for making remarks on others’ appearance, anyway, unless it was something nice. Like with Noctis.

It took only a few minutes before all targets were taken out, and the woman—who had to be Vesper—finally relaxed her stance, blowing the smoke from her guns. After she had holstered her guns, Noctis nodded to Prompto and walked toward her. Prompto was curious about her, as they approached, that much was for certain.

“Vesper.”

She hummed a bit at the call, before turning around. “…Sire,” she said in greeting with a polite bow.

She was a woman dressed in a black suit, with silvery white hair and dark green eyes. …she was also _very_ short, with the top of her head barely reaching up to Prompto’s armpits. Of course, the alpha kept quiet, not saying anything about her stature. Besides, it just made her that much more impressive as a gunslinger.

When Vesper stood up properly, Noctis gestured to Prompto. “Vesper, this is Prompto. Prom, this is Vesper.”

When Vesper turned to Prompto, though, he became aware of something else; she wore a collar around her neck with the omega symbol emblazoned boldly on the front. This had Prompto a bit puzzled. Even though she was an omega, why would she have a collar with the omega symbol on it? Instead of commenting, he smiled politely.

“It’s nice to meet you,” he greeted, holding out a hand to shake.

“…Pleasure,” Vesper said, solemnly shaking his hand.

“So…how should we start?” the blonde inquired.

“…First off, I need to know what level you are on,” Vesper said simply as she walked off to the other side of the room.

“Sounds good,” Prompto shrugged, following after. Once she reached the racks, she pulled out a training gun and passed it to Prompto. He then checked to see if it was loaded, which it was.

“Now…” Vesper said as she moved over and pressed a button off to the side. This caused a number of human-sized targets to drop down from the ceiling. “Try to take these out with as few shots as you can.”

But before Prompto could start, she hit another button…which caused them to start moving all over the place.

‘ _This shouldn’t be too bad,_ ’ the alpha thought with a small smirk, before taking aim and firing…striking the first target right in the bulls-eye at the head easily. This cycle repeated itself for a majority of the targets, only taking a shot or two more for a few of the faster ones. Once they were all downed, he looked at Vesper expectantly.

Vesper hummed softly, and it was then that Prompto realized that, while he’d been busy shooting, she’d been flipping a coin almost lazily. “…Not bad, I suppose…”

“How can I do better, then?” Prompto questioned. He really wanted to be better if there were improvements to be made. Especially if it meant impressing the Kingsglaive.

“…You’re thinking too much on where to shoot,” she said simply, catching the coin, just before she snapped up her gun and shot three times, seemingly at no specific point—before the bottom half of one of the targets hit the floor with a thud.

“So I need to make it instinctual,” the blonde stated.

“Precisely.”

“All right. I’m willing to learn,” Prompto told her determinedly.

“…Good,” Vesper said firmly. “Let us begin, then.”

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

When they were done about four hours later, Prompto stretched his arms with a groan as they headed back out to the Regalia. “Geez, my arms hurt from the recoil…” he mumbled.

This made Noctis chuckle as they walked down the heavy steps. “Well, you held up well enough despite that,” he said. “You got so into it, you didn’t even notice Kagome and Kazuma watching from the viewing room with me.”

“More Kingsglaive?” the blonde guessed.

“Yep. And you know what?”

“What?”

“I do think they were actually impressed.”

“Really?” Prompto blinked, surprised.

“Yep,” Noctis chuckled.

“That’s good, then,” the alpha smiled lightly, feeling better. Maybe now Hyung might shut his damn mouth. As they reached the Regalia, Noctis opened the door for Prompto to get in first. “What a gentleman,” Prompto teased, climbing in. The omega snorted as he climbed in after Prompto, tugging the door shut behind him.

“How did it go?” Ignis inquired once the couple was inside and seated.

“I think it went pretty well,” Noctis said with a chuckle.

“Looking forward to more, but for now, I’m gonna rest my arms,” the blonde chuckled. The prince chuckled, purposefully poking at the blonde’s shoulder.

“Hey, now. Watch it, I’m still sore, Noct…!” Prompto whined. Noctis merely smirked and said nothing else on the matter. Ignis chuckled quietly at their antics, and it wasn’t long before he was dropping them off at the complex again.

“Thanks for the ride, Ignis,” the alpha told him, and Ignis nodded before pulling away when both boys were out. Once the beta had driven off, Noctis led the way upstairs to his apartment. “Wanna hang out in the blanket fort again? We didn’t take it down yet, after all,” Prompto pointed out with a chuckle.

“Heh…sure, why not?”

“Besides, then we can both nap,” the blonde reminded him with a smirk.

“True, true…” Noctis murmured.

Once inside, Prompto stretched his arms over his head, yawning. “Damn, more tired than I thought I would be…” he mumbled.

“Heh…so let’s get settled in, shall we?” the prince chuckled.

“Sounds good,” the alpha nodded, toeing off his shoes before going to the pillow nest and settling in it, waiting for Noctis to join him. He would have changed into lounge clothes, but he was feeling a bit too lazy for that at the moment. It didn’t take long for the prince to plop down next to Prompto, humming lazily as he settled there.

This time, Prompto was facing the omega, and he smiled warmly before kissing Noctis on the lips softly, lingering there. He wasn’t demanding anything; he was only wordlessly asking for permission. A soft hum resonated from the prince’s mouth, as he tilted his head slightly, pressing back softly, resting his hands on the blonde’s shoulders. The blonde increased the pressure just slightly, wrapping his arms around the raven’s waist, and, without breaking the kiss, rolled onto his back so Noctis was lying on top of him.

Though the motion made Noctis give a small, surprised sound into the kiss, that didn’t last long as he got himself comfortable and pressed back firmly. Prompto then made to deepen their kiss, running his tongue along his omega’s bottom lip in silent question. Which was answered after only a moment of tempting, as Noctis opened his mouth and pushed back against the blonde’s tongue with a soft purr.

The alpha gave a pleased rumble in his chest, entwining his tongue with the raven’s as he gave a small moan. Humming from the back of his throat, the omega then turned his face a little more, placing his hands behind Prompto’s neck. Prompto’s rumble became louder, and he groaned as he continued to taste Noctis, slowly moving his hands down towards the raven’s ass, but giving him plenty of time to stop him.

Startled, Noctis tensed at the touch, actually freezing briefly as he gasped in alarm.

The blonde pulled back slightly, before asking softly, “Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah…” the omega got out softly, but the subtle tremble along his shoulders said the exact opposite.

Prompto moved his hands back up, resting them on Noctis’s shoulders. “…I won’t push you, Noct,” he murmured, his warm breath ghosting over the prince’s face.

The prince bit his lip at the words, breathing quietly. “…s…sorry…”

“It’s fine, Noct,” the alpha soothed, kissing his nose. “Whenever you’re ready, okay?”

Noctis only managed a small nod, even as he settled against Prompto, resting his head on the blonde’s chest.

“I love you, Noct…” Prompto whispered, holding his omega close as the raven lay on top of him. He kissed Noctis’s cheek softly, before settling down. The only thing Noctis got out was a small hum, and little else, before he succumbed to sleep. The blonde smile slightly at the sight, before closing his eyes and falling asleep as well.


	10. Chapter 10

X*X(1 Week Before Christmas)X*X

Time continued on its lazy pace after that, until, finally, it was a week away from Christmas, and Prompto and Noctis had become even closer without being intimate, if that was possible. The alpha had yet to get the omega to allow him to offer him any form of corporeal pleasure, but he wasn’t about to push his luck. Prompto didn’t want to break the trust he’d earned and ruin things between them. In all honesty, he hoped that Christmas would be a good point for the raven to allow him to, but, again, he wouldn’t push it for his own sake.

What was nice was that the couple would be spending the holiday at the Citadel, which, if the blonde was being honest with himself, he was nervous about. While he knew King Regis approved of him, he was still a bit wary of Hyung. Well, him and the few Kingsglaive that were still wary about him, but mostly Hyung. Despite his excellent progress with gun training with Vesper, it seemed the larger Kingsglaive member was still unimpressed with him as an alpha. It bothered Prompto quite a bit, but unless he showed his scar…there wasn’t much he could do otherwise to get him off his back. And that was something he wasn’t exactly keen on.

Back on the subject of Christmas, though, the alpha had even managed to get a gift for Noctis, thanks to Ignis. Prompto had provided the funds, and pleaded his case with the beta to pick it up for him, which Ignis had done without complaint when he was told what it was. Now to keep his mouth shut and not give it away for another week.

But now, it was Friday afternoon, and the pair was heading back to the apartments after school to get some stuff for Prompto packed up and then get a ride to the Citadel from Ignis.

“Do you think Hyung will behave at all while I’m there?” the alpha wondered quietly, finally voicing his concern. He really didn’t want to spend the holiday worrying over this.

“I don’t think so… I think he was actually on leave for a while. Said he had something to do in his home town,” Noctis admitted.

“Thank the Six… Sorry, but I’d rather not have to deal with him, y’know?” Prompto sighed.

“It’s okay, I understand,” the prince assured him.

“Thanks,” the blonde smiled as they arrived at his apartment. “Is there anything you need to bring from your place?”

“Aside from some clothes I left here, I don’t think so. Best not keep Iggy waiting, though.”

“True,” Prompto chuckled as he grabbed some last-minute items. He had been steadily packing in preparation for the break, and now it was just a couple things left to pack. Once they were all in his bag, though, he nodded to himself. “All set,” he said.

“Alright. Let’s go then,” Noctis chuckled out. With a small smile, the alpha headed out with Noctis to meet with Ignis, who was, of course, waiting for them in the Regalia. They climbed in, buckling up before the sandy blonde pulled away, driving to the Citadel.

“I’ll be honest, I’m excited and a bit nervous to spend Christmas at the Citadel,” Prompto admitted as they went.

“Don’t be. It’ll be fine,” Noctis assured him.

“Well, you can’t blame me. Haven’t really been able to spend Christmas with anyone since my parents took off, so it’ll be different for me after four years,” the blonde murmured.

“True enough…”

“Is there anything I should know? After all, Christmas at the Citadel has got to be different than it is for common people.”

“Aside from the way too extravagant party the night before Christmas? Hmm… nah, not really,” Noctis said casually.

“Wait, an extravagant party?” Prompto frowned.

“Don’t worry; it’s a lot smaller than my birthday ended up being, but it will be a bigger than usual event, still.”

“Nothing too fancy, huh?”

“Nothing _ridiculously_ fancy, no.”

“Okay, good,” the alpha nodded, as they pulled up to the Citadel. “Thanks again for the ride, Ignis.”

“Of course,” Ignis nodded, before pulling away to go park after the couple had gotten out.

“So, I’ll be staying in your room like I did for your birthday, right?” Prompto asked once they were inside.

“No duh,” Noctis chuckled—before he blinked and looked past Prompto. When the blonde looked back, he spotted Niche and Valanx walking up the steps, talking to each other quietly.

“I wonder what’s up?” the blonde murmured.

“Not sure…they seem to be very engaged in it…” Noctis murmured as they began moving as well.

As they passed the pair, though, Prompto happened catch a bit of their conversation.

“…so no luck on the Argentum front, yet?” Niche mumbled.

“…none…they’re making it very difficult.”

“…damn…”

Prompto frowned slightly, wondering why they would be talking about him like that. The pair continued their conversation as they walked off down a different hall than Prompto and Noctis, clearly not having noticed that Prompto had heard them. And Noctis had clearly not caught what they said at all. Of course, the alpha wasn’t going to mention it to the raven, considering his one-on-one conversation with Valanx, so he decided to keep his mouth shut.

Once they reached Noctis' room, the prince tossed his bag onto the bed with a sigh. “Phew…”

Prompto chuckled as he set his suitcase by the closet with his bag. “Tired already, huh?” he teased.

“After today? Yeah.”

“Well, hopefully you won’t be too tired during the break,” the blonde snickered, dropping onto Noctis’s bed.

“Heh… yeah,” Noctis chuckled as he dropped back onto the bed as well (avoiding his bag).

Prompto smiled at the omega, before pushing Noctis’s bag off to the side, and then pulled him close, drawing a gasp from the prince. As he began nuzzling his hair, though, Noctis relaxed, settling against the alpha. The alpha gave a pleased rumble in response, kissing the top of Noctis’s head. Noctis hummed lazily as he settled his head along Prompto’s chest.

“Comfy?” Prompto chuckled softly as he held his omega closer.

“…yeah.”

“…? You okay?”

“…I’m fine…”

“Something on your mind?”

“…not really…”

“Then whatcha thinking about?”

“…” Noctis didn’t answer immediately, but he was clearly thinking very deeply on something.

“I’m here to listen, love,” the blonde murmured, softly kissing the top of Noctis’s head again.

“…I know…”

“Take your time, then. I’m not going anywhere,” Prompto promised softly.

“…” After almost a full minute, Noctis finally sighed softly as he pushed up on his arms. The blonde let him go, and he gained a worried look on his face. Did Noctis not want this anymore…? But before Prompto could start to worry, Noctis pushed him onto his back and abruptly kissed him firmly.

Prompto gasped in surprise, before kissing him back eagerly. He didn’t know what had come over the raven, but he wasn’t about to question it. And the prince wasn’t about to let him question it, anyway, as he reached up and buried his hands in Prompto’s hair. The alpha moaned softly as they kissed, pulling Noctis closer and lapping at the omega’s lips, seeking entry.

Which was granted almost immediately as Noctis adjusted his position and tilted Prompto’s head up just slightly. Prompto groaned at the pleasant taste as he swept his tongue through Noctis’s mouth, a pleased rumble sounding from his chest. Noctis purred deeply from the back of his throat, as his hands shifted from Prompto’s hair down to his shoulders.

The blonde shivered lightly at the touch, and he couldn’t help but wonder just what his omega was doing. Was he taking their relationship to the next level, or did he just want to make out? Quietly, Noctis’s fingers moved further down, down to his arms. Prompto moaned louder, his rumbling becoming a bit louder as well, but even as he kissed back, he kept track of those fingers.

The prince briefly moved back then, giving them both some time to breathe, before he moved back in, fingers moving down to the blonde’s elbows. The alpha kissed his omega heatedly, still managing to keep himself in check by holding the raven’s shoulders because he didn’t want to scare Noctis.

Just then, there was a knock on the door, startling the boys to pull away in alarm. “Your Highness, dinner is ready,” a voice called out from beyond the door.

“…Ah… thanks, Irene,” Noctis said with a half-sigh. “We’ll be right there.”

Prompto was breathing a little heavily from that make out session, and he gazed at Noctis curiously. “If…if we hadn’t been interrupted…what were you planning?” he asked a little breathlessly. He was genuinely curious, because he didn’t want to assume anything and push for what he thought the raven had been going for and then end up scaring him.

As he sat up, Noctis didn’t answer immediately, before he shrugged his shoulders absently. “Dunno…just…wanted to know what was…yanno…”

“You wanted to try to see what you’re comfortable with,” the blonde stated rather than asked.

“…kinda…” Noctis admitted guiltily.

“Noct, it’s fine,” Prompto soothed, taking the omega’s hands in his own and kissing each one once. “I don’t mind, I really don’t. I just don’t want you to push yourself into doing something you don’t actually want yet. I would hate myself if that happened.”

The prince nodded slowly in response. “I know…” he murmured softly.

“Don’t worry so much about it, okay?” the alpha smiled softly. “I already told you I can wait. I don’t want to ruin our relationship because we went too fast.” He finished this with a kiss to Noctis’s cheek.

“…thank you…” the omega whispered sincerely.

“Anytime,” Prompto murmured, before pulling away to get up. “Now, let’s go eat before we starve.”

“And before Iggy comes looking for us,” Noctis chuckled softly as they stood up and headed out. As they arrived at the dining room, Regis was already sitting at the table, reading through some notes quietly.

“Hello, Your Majesty,” Prompto greeted when they got close, making the King chuckle as he looked up.

“Prompto, there is no need to be so formal with me, considering how close you and Noctis are,” he smiled. “Just call me Regis.” Prompto blinked in pleasant surprise, before smiling in thanks as he and Noctis sat down at the table.

Once everyone was seated, Noctis turned to his father. “Any news on the war?”

“No, unfortunately,” the King sighed. “We’re at a bit of a stalemate for the time being.”

“I see…” Noctis murmured. “And Prontera hasn’t changed its mind?”

“No, they haven’t.”

“Damn…”

It was then that Ignis brought out dinner for them all, and Prompto thanked the sandy blonde as he was served. Regis merely nodded in wordless thanks. And Noctis hummed with a nod of his own, absently tucking his hair behind his ear.

As they ate, Prompto couldn’t help but think about how Noctis had been trying to push himself earlier. Sure, _he_ had enjoyed it, but would the omega have truly been okay with it had things gone further than they had? It was something he wanted to ask, but knew he’d only make Noctis feel guilty if he did. A small part of him wanted to show the raven he would be gentle, but Prompto quickly shook that off. No point in pushing the boundaries if the prince wasn’t ready.

While Prompto worried about this, Noctis was having his own deep thoughts about what had happened in his bedroom earlier. He hadn’t been lying when he admitted to Prompto he’d been trying to figure out what he was okay with and what was out of reach for him. The problem, however, was that the thought of getting that close to the blonde caused a wave of anxiety to wash over him. He knew he’d have to get over it eventually, but the way he was going now, it didn’t seem like it was about to happen any time soon…

Even as the pair had their own thoughts, Regis was actually noticing how Noctis seemed to be thinking. He had a strong feeling that his son was scared of being taken advantage of, and he decided he would talk to Noctis after dinner, and hopefully help ease the boy’s fears.

When they had all finished eating, Regis said, “Noctis, may I speak with you for a moment alone?”

“Huh? …Oh, yeah, sure, Dad,” Noctis said with a nod, before turning to Prompto. “Think you can find your way back on your own?”

“I think so,” Prompto nodded, before heading out. Once they were alone, Regis looked at the prince kindly.

“I had a feeling you’re still worried about your relationship with Prompto, correct?” he guessed.

Noctis flinched sharply, before he sighed. “…am I that obvious?”

“Not too obvious, but I am your father,” the King chuckled. “Do you want to talk about what has you so worried?”

“…” Noctis bit his lip in worry, fiddling with the edge of his sleeve, before he murmured, “I’m just…not sure if I’m ready to…I-I mean…”

“Noctis, I’m sure he’s already told you, but you don’t have to jump straight into mating. You would have to go into heat for the mark to stick, anyway,” his father pointed out. “It’s your choice on how to proceed, of course, but I can tell that this alpha is both unique and kind, and he would never take advantage of you. He has a kind heart.”

“I know that…!” Noctis almost cried out. “I just…I want to…give him something more… but I’m…I…”

“You’re unsure, correct?” Regis murmured, his gaze sympathetic.

“…” Noctis didn’t look up as he nodded slowly.

“Well, you can be sure of this: when you’re ready, you’ll know. Until then, don’t push yourself, Noctis,” the King advised gently, reaching over and placing his hand on his son’s shoulder. “You’ll be just fine. I trust him to take care of you, no matter what happens.”

The prince looked up slowly, and, after a few moments, he managed a small smile. “Thanks, Dad…”

“Anytime, my son,” Regis chuckled. “Now, you’d best get to bed, as I’m sure you’re tired. And Prompto is more than likely wondering what’s taking so long.”

“Yeah…” Noctis said slowly as he stood up. “Most likely… G’night, Dad.”

“Goodnight, Noctis,” the King smiled warmly.

Nodding once more, Noctis proceeded toward his room. It took him only a few minutes to reach it, and he entered it without bothering to knock. When he entered his bedroom, however, he caught Prompto in the middle of changing into some pajama pants and an old t-shirt, but what shocked him was the almost jagged slash for a scar on the left side of his lower back.

“…Prom?”

“Huh? Oh, hey, Noct,” the alpha greeted with a smile, turning a bit quickly. He hoped the raven hadn’t seen his scar. Unfortunately…

“…What happened to your back?”

Prompto visibly flinched at the question, before sighing. “…It’s an old scar from when I tried to learn how to wield a sword…” he mumbled.

“…” Noctis didn’t say anything in response to that initially, before he moved over to the alpha. “Show me.” The blonde hesitantly lifted the back of his shirt, revealing his scar to Noctis again.

Once he had a better view of the scar, Noctis frowned. It wasn’t as bad as he had initially believed it to be, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t a nasty wound. Or it had been, when it had been inflicted. On impulse, he reached out and gently placed the tip of his finger to the scar. Prompto shivered at the touch, unused to receiving a gentle touch to it from someone else.

Frowning at the flinch, Noctis pressed his whole hand against the scar, gently moving it along the scarred skin. As he did, he breathed in deeply, before he let it out slowly as he let a wave of magic siphon from his hand and into Prompto’s skin. The alpha gasped softly as he felt Noctis’s magic flow into the scar, and he looked back at the raven, puzzled.

“Wh-what are you…?”

“Sssh…” Noctis shushed him, letting the magic wash over the blonde, making the normal itchy feeling Prompto got from the scar fade until only a soft warmth remained. Prompto gave a small sigh of relief, as he hadn’t felt that area _not_ itch in years.

When he did, Noctis smiled and finally removed his hand from the area. “Better?”

“Yeah,” the blonde murmured. “What did you do?”

“I used some magic to ease the irritation there, that’s all,” Noctis said with a smile, as if it was nothing real special. Prompto’s eyes widened at that, before he turned and pulled his omega into a hug.

“…Thank you…” he whispered. “It drove me nuts sometimes, it would get that bad…”

The raven chuckled as he hugged back calmly. “No problem. And if it ever comes back, just let me know, kay?”

“I will,” the alpha murmured, kissing Noctis chastely. Looking away a bit, he mumbled, “It would get that bad because I was hit with a serrated sword of some kind during an intense training session… Didn’t ever really care to try and find out after it happened…”

“Hey, it’s okay, now,” Noctis pointed out, moving in and abruptly kissing Prompto’s cheek. “Can’t do much about it now… Anyway, let’s go to bed, kay?”

“Right,” Prompto nodded, climbing into bed and waiting for the prince to change and join him in bed. Which didn’t take long anyway. Once the omega had changed, he moved over and climbed onto what they’d quickly called “his” side of the bed. After he was under the blanket, the blonde didn’t hesitate to pull Noctis close, his rumble sounding in his chest.

Noctis purred softly as he settled against Prompto. “…night, Prom…” he murmured.

“G’night, Noct… Love you,” Prompto smiled softly, holding Noctis close as both boys fell asleep.

 

X*X(Christmas Eve)X*X

It was finally almost Christmas, and that meant the Christmas Eve party was about to start. Prompto adjusted the collar of his dress shirt, making sure he wouldn’t choke from how restricting it was. He was honestly a bit nervous, considering it was another party, but he hoped that his nerves would be better managed since it was supposed to be a smaller one.

“And how long are we stuck there for?” he asked Noctis.

“Hopefully not TOO long,” Noctis said as he tugged his own jacket on. “However, we are required to at least show our faces at least for a little bit.”

“True…” the alpha conceded. “Ready?”

“Yep. Yourself?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Prompto sighed. “I just hope this’ll go by quick.”

“Don’t worry; the sooner we get through this, the sooner we’ll be back here.”

“Good, ‘cause I love when it’s just us,” the blonde smiled slightly, pulling Noctis in for a kiss. “Just get me through this until we get back.”

“Will do,” Noctis chuckled as he led the way out of his room and downstairs. Prompto followed closely, not wanting to fall too far behind. As they walked into the ballroom, there were already more than a few people present. It was definitely not as big as Noctis’s “birthday party”, like Noctis had already said before. That didn’t make it a small party, especially considering that Prompto wasn’t used to this kind of thing.

“Damn, you were right,” the alpha muttered. “Smaller than last time, but still…”

“Yeah…” Noctis murmured, moving through the room, looking for his father. It didn’t take them long to find him, but as they approached, they saw Valanx speaking with him.

“Wonder what’s going on?” Prompto murmured.

“Not sure…” Noctis murmured.

It didn’t take long for Valanx to finish talking about whatever it was he had to say, which was also about when he noticed their presence.

“Dismissed, Valanx. Thank you,” Regis nodded.

The Shadow Chaser bowed politely, before he silently walked away. Noctis watched him go, before they walked over. “Everything alright, Dad?”

“Yes, Noctis. No need to fret,” the King smiled. Prompto had a feeling it had to do with his parents, considering Valanx’s questioning about them a couple of months back. But he didn’t comment on it.

“Okay, if you’re sure,” Noctis said with a small nod, but it was clear he had his own doubts about it. “So do we have any special guests today?”

“Perhaps… But how about you seek them out?” his father told him, an amused smile curving his lips. “Or rather, it seems they’ll find you.”

“Hello Noctis!” a familiar voice sounded from behind Noctis.

Startled, Noctis whirled around, before he smiled brightly. “Luna!” he called out as she walked over, and they shared a quick hug. “When did you get here?”

“Late this afternoon. I can’t stay for the night, sadly, but I wanted to see you tonight since I missed your birthday,” she giggled. She then noticed Prompto, who was watching curiously. “And this is Prompto, I assume?”

“Yeah. Prom, this is Luna,” the prince introduced the two blondes.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” Luna smiled kindly, and instantly, Prompto felt much more at ease. His previous jealousy with Luna seemed really stupid now.

“Nice to meet you, too, Luna,” he greeted with a small grin.

“Thank you for being so good to Noctis. He truly deserves the best, and you’re just that for him,” the older alpha told him kindly, making Prompto blush and rub the back of his neck in embarrassment.

The omega allowed a small chuckle at the blush, before a familiar bark drew his attention to his feet. “Hey, Umbra, Pryna,” he said as he crouched down, petting the two dogs in greeting as they hopped up and began to lick his face happily.

“I didn’t know you had dogs,” Prompto said as he crouched down as well, gaining the dogs’ attention.

“Yes, they’re always good company,” Luna giggled.

Laughing, Noctis gestured to the white dog now focusing all her attention on the blonde alpha. “That’s Pryna, she’s the eldest. And this is Umbra,” he said, gesturing to the black hound snuggling into his chest.

“Well hi there, Pryna,” Prompto grinned as he began to pet her, scratching behind her ear with one hand and using the other to rub her chest. Luna laughed at their antics, definitely seeing how Noctis had fallen for Prompto so quickly. Even though Prompto had been a strange alpha for Noctis at first, he truly had a heart of gold.

After patting Umbra on his head briefly on the head again, Noctis stood up calmly. “Anyway, have you gotten a drink yet?” he asked the older alpha.

“No, not yet,” she replied with a smile. “We’ll all go get something, then, since I know you both just got here.”

“Great. Let’s go get something then,” Noctis said with a smile, before he turned to his father. “Do you want something, Dad?”

“I’ll be just fine, my son. You three go and enjoy yourselves,” Regis chuckled. After nodding with a small smile, Noctis joined the two blondes as they headed for the table where the drinks were set up.

“I wonder if Ignis labeled the drinks after what almost happened last time,” Prompto remarked as they got close.

“What happened last time?” Luna asked, puzzled.

“Yeah, what _did_ happen exactly?” Noctis asked.

“Ah, well, I grabbed a drink that apparently had carrot juice in it without knowing, and Hyung stopped me, not telling me why. Then Iris jumped in and saved my ass,” the younger alpha explained.

“Carrots? Ugh…” Noctis said with a small grimace.

“Yeah, Iris said you hate them the most,” Prompto sighed. “But I couldn’t tell…”

“I know the drink you’re talking about, and you’re right, it IS hard to tell, so don’t feel bad,” Luna assured him.

Thankfully, when they arrived at the table, it did look like the drinks had been properly labeled, allowing people to know what they were getting into with them.

“Looks like Iris said something after all,” Prompto chuckled.

“I’m not surprised she did,” Noctis said with a chuckle as he picked up a drink for himself.

“She IS rather outspoken,” Luna giggled, grabbing her own.

“Seems like it,” Prompto agreed with a laugh as he snagged a drink as well.

As they sipped their drinks, Noctis looked to Luna. “Hey… is Ravus here, too?”

“No. I made him stay home because I knew Prompto would be here, and I didn’t want Ravus to find out about you two. Otherwise he would have tried to start something, knowing him, unfortunately,” she replied. “I know he’s pushing for you and me, but I’ve already told you I see us more as siblings.”

“I suppose you have a point…he would’ve just made this a more difficult…” Noctis admitted with a small nod. After a moment, though, he allowed a smiled and asked, “So hey, I haven’t heard you talking about that thief anymore… Did he stop trying to sneak in after getting caught by Ravus last time?”

“No, he’s just gotten craftier,” Luna laughed. “Ravus doesn’t seem to be able to deter him.”

“Who?” Prompto frowned, confused.

“He’s an alpha thief in Tenebrae, but he doesn’t actually steal from my home. He’s only snuck in to see me,” Luna answered with a fond smile.

Noctis chuckled as he took another sip. “Think I’ve said this before, but he definitely has guts to sneak into your room with both your brother and the Empire walking around.”

“He’s brave, but he’s not a fool. He knows what he’s doing,” the older alpha assured the omega with a giggle.

“Sounds like it,” Prompto nodded.

“Definitely…” Noctis chuckled. “Maybe you should bring him along next time. He must be really bored with you outside of Tenebrae.”

“He tends to be a bit of a flirt, is the thing. I’m his biggest interest, though,” Luna admitted.

"Really? Huh... sure he's trustworthy, then?" Noctis asked, a bit worried.

“…excuse me, Sire?” a familiar voice suddenly asked, making the group look up curiously.

“Hm? What’s wrong, Niche?” the prince asked.

“Ah, nothing’s wrong, per se, Sire…” the woman said solemnly, a small frown on her face. “However, I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation just now…”

“What’s so special about it?” Prompto frowned.

“Well…this ‘thief’ you mentioned… he wouldn’t happen to be a blonde ‘monkey’ named Zidane, would he?”

“Yes, but, how do you know that?” Luna asked, confused.

“…thought as much…” Niche sighed. “I know him from the Thief’s Guild in Morocc… If I remember well, he came over from Lindbulm to hone his skills…” Shaking her head, she said, “The ‘flirtatious’ bit gave him away…”

“Wow…sounds like he left quite an impression…” Noctis murmured.

“Very much…mostly on the female populace of the Guild…”

“Not surprising. He’s left quite the impression on me,” Luna smiled, making Prompto laugh.

“That does not surprise me…he does have quite a way with words…” Niche agreed with a small sigh.

“Yes, that he does,” Luna nodded.

“I would NOT be surprised if his flirtatious ways have gotten him in trouble more than a few times, too,” Prompto snickered.

“Definitely…more times than we could count…” Niche murmured, before she shook her head. “In any event, I apologize for intruding. Please excuse me.”

Then, after bowing politely, she began to walk off—but before she could pass them entirely, she stopped and slapped her hand down on Prompto’s shoulder, making him jolt in alarm and look at her with wide eyes.

“…keep him safe, Argentum,” Niche said solemnly as she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. Then she clapped her hand down on his shoulder twice more and then she walked off without looking back.

“…I think I just got approval from her,” the younger alpha murmured, shocked, which got him a chuckle from the omega.

“Seems like it,” he said with a smirk.

“Good to know,” Luna giggled.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

“That was actually really nice since I got to meet Luna,” Prompto commented when the couple returned back to their room after the party.

“Wasn’t expecting her to be here, but it was nice to see her again,” Noctis agreed, smiling as he tugged his tie off.

“I’ll bet,” the blonde smiled, glad to see his omega so content. He unbuttoned his dress shirt and turned around to give the raven a brief moment of privacy as they both stripped, and then Prompto got dressed in some warm pajamas. “I hope it snows tonight. Haven’t seen a white Christmas since I was a kid.”

“Here’s hoping,” Noctis chuckled as he finished changing. “Let’s sleep for now. And we’ll see in the morning, shall we?”

“Definitely,” the alpha nodded, tugging Noctis close to him once they were both in bed. “Goodnight, Noct. I love you.”

“G’night…” Noctis murmured lazily.

When Christmas morning arrived, Prompto woke up to Noctis curled against his chest, making him smile softly. He kissed his omega’s forehead softly to wake him.

“Good morning, Noct,” he whispered. “And Merry Christmas.”

“…mmm?” The omega blinked lazily for a few moments, before he yawned widely. “Morning already? …mmmrgh!!”

“Sleep good?” the blonde asked with a chuckle.

“Mm…could’ve been better…” he complained.

“What, am I not a good cuddle buddy?” Prompto whined playfully.

“Not saying that…just saying I could use some more sleep…”

“I know, just teasing,” the alpha smiled, kissing Noctis’s nose. “We’d best get up before Ignis gets us.”

“Fiiiine…” Noctis whined softly, but he got up anyway. Prompto chuckled as he climbed out of bed as well, following after the prince from his room (once he’d taken his suppressant, of course) without changing. After all, Christmas meant staying in your pajamas all day.

The prince sighed once more as they walked, barely covering it with one hand—before he paused as he noticed something through the window. “…Well…looks like we’ll have to get changed later,” he said with a smirk. “Shiva’s come by, still.”

“Really?!” the blonde gasped, before looking out the window as well. “YES!!”

Noctis laughed at the blonde’s excitement. “Well that was easy,” he chuckled out.

“Hey, it’s the simple things in life,” Prompto grinned.

The prince merely smiled as they made their way to a smaller room that Prompto had never been to before. However, it seemed more like a private room for the royal family, given the smaller size, along with the large, colorfully decorated tree in the corner, surrounded by gifts, with a cozy-looking fireplace settled in the far wall. It was a very nice room, to say the least.

“Wow…!” the alpha breathed, awed by the size and beauty of the tree. He soon spotted his gift for Noctis among the small pile around the tree, and he breathed a small sigh of relief. It looked like Ignis was kind enough to wrap it for him, too.

“What was that sigh for?” Noctis asked curiously.

“You’ll see,” Prompto chuckled, and then Regis walked in.

“Merry Christmas, you two,” he greeted.

“Merry Christmas,” Noctis and Prompto said in return, almost in unison, making them look at each other curiously, before they chuckled.

“Well, go on ahead, boys. It’s all for you both,” the King smirked slightly, and Prompto gawked.

That made Noctis laugh, before he moved to the stack and picked up one of the medium-sized boxes. “Here,” he said. “From Vesper, even if she couldn’t make it.”

“Really? That’s so nice of her…” the blonde murmured, before unwrapping the box and opening it to reveal a pair of very nice, high-quality guns. “Whoa…!”

“Yeah, she figured you’d do better if you had your own guns rather than the training ones,” the prince chuckled.

“Good point,” Prompto laughed. Fortunately, the pile of gifts was small, so they went through them relatively quick. When they reached the last two, though, the alpha smiled eagerly when Noctis realized one was from him. “I want you to open mine first,” he told his omega kindly.

“Well, if you’re sure,” Noctis said with a shrug as he began to unwrap the small present. It wasn’t nearly as large as any of the others, but Noctis obviously couldn’t give a shit.

When he opened it, his eyes widened in wonder. “Prom…”

It was a platinum locket with a matching chain, with a topaz and a black diamond on the front. When he opened it, there was a picture of them together on one side, and on the other, it read, “ _I’ll love you through the end of time._ ”

After running his fingers slowly over the locket, he actually chuckled softly. “You’re so cheesy, you dork,” he mumbled teasingly.

“Hey, at least you can’t say I’m not a romantic,” Prompto shrugged, but he was beaming.

Noctis snorted as he reached for the last present. “I’m a little less original, I’m afraid,” he admitted as he passed the box to Prompto.

“Hey, I wanted to get you something special,” the blonde laughed, before unwrapping Noctis’s gift to him. His jaw dropped when he saw what it was, though. “You got me a LOKTON LX-X1R?!” he yelped. “I’ve been eyeing one of these for a while!”

“No _duh_. I’ve seen you do so every time we’ve walked home, idiot,” Noctis chuckled out.

“Can’t blame me. They’re good cameras! Now I can take even better pictures!” Prompto grinned. He then pulled Noctis close, kissing his cheek. “Thank you.”

“Heh…you’re welcome,” Noctis said with a warm smile, even though he was trying not to show the small speck of anxiety building in his stomach. He didn’t want to give away the fact that he actually had _one_ more gift for Prompto…but it would have to wait. For now, anyway.

“Now that you’re done with your gifts,” Regis chuckled, “how about we go to the dining room before breakfast gets cold and Ignis’s hard work goes to ruin?”

“Can’t have that, now can we?” Noctis said with a laugh as he got up to his feet.

“Definitely not,” the alpha agreed with a grin, getting up as well, and the three headed to the dining room to eat.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

Finally, once night had fallen, Prompto and Noctis had returned to the prince’s room, the blonde smiled warmly at Noctis.

“This has been the best Christmas I’ve ever had,” he admitted to the raven. “Back when my parents were around, we honestly didn’t do too much. I was lucky to get something as a gift at all, and the only reason I found out gifts were a big deal on Christmas was because of overhearing other kids at school. Not only that, but Dad usually worked on Christmas, so it was almost always just Mom and me.”

Frowning, Noctis asked, “Your mom didn’t even bother with presents?”

“Not always, no,” the blonde replied.

“‘Not always’?”

“It depended on if Dad was working or not, I think. If he wasn’t working, she would get me one to help me think better of family time, I think. I’m not quite sure, to be honest. I never asked her.”

“…I see…” Noctis murmured softly.

“But that’s why I said this has been the best Christmas for me. ‘Sides, I got to spend it with you,” Prompto smiled.

Noctis allowed a smile as they moved to get changed. “You’re welcome,” he said, as he tried to not let his anxiety get to him. He almost wanted to smack himself for it, but he resisted the urge to, instead, focus on how to approach the subject, if at all. Maybe it’d be better to just… give it, after all…

Once the alpha was changed, he looked over at the raven, noticing how quiet he was being. “Noct? You okay?”

“Huh? …ah, yeah, I’m fine,” he said with a small nod.

“All right,” Prompto nodded, climbing into bed and patiently waiting for his omega to join him. Which he did shortly after, climbing under the blankets after flicking off the lights. Once he had, he moved to cuddle up with the alpha, humming contently. The blonde chuckled softly, pressing a gentle kiss to Noctis’s lips. “Let’s get some sleep, love.”

The words, normally, would’ve had Noctis agreeing quite happily…but this time there was little more than a lazy hum; one that sounded different from usual. And Noctis was well aware of this. And he was banking on Prompto realizing this, too.

“…What’s on your mind?” Prompto asked when he noticed.

“…mmmmm…” The hum was longer than usual, which already said there was something on the prince’s mind, but it’d be hell trying to figure out what, had it been anyone else with him.

“Noct…?” the alpha murmured in question, lightly smoothing his fingers along Noctis’s back.

“…hmhmm?”

“Do you have something you want to say?”

“…mm…” Noctis didn’t say anything after that for the longest time. But before Prompto could ask again—the omega suddenly pushed up on his arms. Prompto looked up at him, curious, the moonlight from outside filtering through the window providing some light so they could see.

Noctis considered the alpha for a while longer, watching with dark blue eyes that seemed to shimmer in the moon’s light. And then, without a word of warning, he scooted closer and threw his leg over Prompto so that he was sitting on the blonde’s stomach.

The blonde jumped a little, startled by the sudden action, before he gazed up at his omega in realization, placing his hands gently on Noctis’s hips. “…Are you sure?” he asked quietly. He really didn’t want to scare the prince if he wasn’t completely sure.

“…I’m sure…” Noctis assured, lowering down and pressing a warm kiss to the alpha’s lips. Prompto hummed pleasantly into the kiss, slowly moving his hands to what part of Noctis’s ass he could reach, kneading and rubbing.

“I’ll be gentle, I promise…” he whispered against Noctis’s lips.

Noctis briefly tensed at the touch…but this time he relaxed fairly quickly after. He then murmured softly, “I know… I trust you…” as he pressed another kiss against the alpha.

The alpha pressed a little more firmly into the kiss, still rubbing through Noctis’s pajama bottoms. After a bit of this, he made to deepen their kiss, lapping at his omega’s lips. And Noctis let him, purring from the very back of his throat, letting Prompto do as he pleased, arching his body down and into the blonde. The familiar, pleased alpha rumble soon sounded in Prompto’s chest, and he moaned as he felt himself already beginning to get hard. But this wasn’t about him. This was about Noctis, and making him feel good.

If Noctis noticed, then he certainly didn’t show he did, as he continued to purr deeply, pressing his tongue further down Prompto’s mouth as he wrapped his arms around the blonde’s neck. And still, he rolled his hips down, and Prompto could feel the prince’s cock hardening under his pajama pants. The blonde shivered at the feeling, groaning into Noctis’s mouth, even as his hands slowly moved to slide down the pajama bottoms. A small mewl escaped the prince at the touch before he slowly raised his hips to make it easier for Prompto.

Prompto entwined his tongue with Noctis’s, pulling down the pajama bottoms until they stopped when he couldn’t pull them down any further, halted by his own body. He kissed his omega hungrily, before rubbing at the hem of Noctis’s underwear, silently asking for permission. This took a little bit; possibly for Noctis to gather his courage in one pile. But then, finally, he nodded into the kiss, purring heavily. The alpha’s rumble became louder, and he eased down the raven’s underwear, gently rubbing Noctis’s bared ass with his fingers, giving an appreciative hum.

Which was answered with a deep purr from the back of Noctis’s throat as the omega began to try and tug Prompto’s top off. Prompto wouldn’t let him, though, pulling away to breathe out, “This isn’t about me, it’s about making _you_ feel good.” He continued to massage the prince’s ass as he spoke, smiling softly.

Startled, Noctis almost didn’t react to the words. This wasn’t what he had been planning for all this time. “But I—”

“I don’t want to put you through that, Noct,” the blonde insisted. “I’m happy just getting the chance to pleasure you without scaring you, and I really mean that.” When he finished, he kissed Noctis’s lips briefly.

The prince tried to get a word in between, but Prompto didn’t let him, pulling him closer still and making the prince moan pitifully. Prompto gently shushed him as they kissed, before he slid one hand around his omega’s hip to his front, pausing briefly before applying a bit of pressure to Noctis’s covered groin.

This caused Noctis to pull away with a startled gasp, before he whined as Prompto moved his hand firmly and steadily. “Pr-Prom…!”

“Shh… Trust me?” the alpha murmured, gazing up at Noctis with loving eyes.

“I-I trust you…but…!”

“…Do you want me to stop…?”

“N-no…! I-I just…!”

Prompto shook his head a little with a small smile. “It’s okay, Noct, I promise. I’d much rather pleasure you.” As he spoke, he continued to move his hand slowly. Noctis mewled pitifully at the touch, dropping his head against Prompto’s throat, instinctively arching into the blonde’s hand.

The blonde continued to let his rumble sound in his chest as he then carefully flipped them, being mindful to not put his full weight on Noctis. Pressing another kiss to his omega’s lips, he then slid down the raven’s body, tugging down his underwear as he went. He looked up at Noctis once more with a smile…before taking the prince’s cock into his mouth.

“A-aaah!!!” Noctis screamed out in surprise, before it shifted into a whine as his hands scrabbled along Prompto’s shoulders, looking for some purchase. Prompto hummed pleasantly, before beginning to slowly bob his head.

“A-aaaahh…! Pr-Promp…tooo!” the omega whined loudly, finally burying his hands in the alpha’s hair. His entire body felt like it was on fire, and for once, he didn’t have to hold back. Wailing, he almost bucked up as Prompto came down. The alpha moaned at the taste of Noctis’s precum as it started to leak from the raven, and he applied a bit of suction as he moved a bit faster, lewd slurping sounds filling the air of the room.

With the way Prompto was working him, there was really no way for Noctis to hold out for long, even though he tried so very hard to do so. He tried to warn the blonde, but the moment he opened his mouth, he choked on a scream as his release hit him, _hard_. Prompto groaned heavily as Noctis’s cum filled his mouth, and he swallowed, twice, before releasing his omega and moving back up to lie down with him. He held Noctis close, before kissing him softly. This allowed the raven to taste of hint of himself on Prompto’s lips.

“Feel a bit better about me pleasuring you now?” the blonde asked with a warm smile.

It took a little before Noctis was able to speak up, since he had to catch his breath first. But when he did, he pouted. “Not fair…” he complained tiredly.

“All’s fair in love and war, Noct,” the blonde pointed out with a soft chuckle, kissing the raven’s nose.

Noctis continued to pout, however. “…that was supposed to be for you…not for me…”

“…Do you really want to?”

“Yes.”

“Then I won’t stop you this time,” Prompto murmured, kissing the raven softly. When he pulled back, he added, “I just wanted to make you feel good first, at least.”

Noctis purred softly, as he could still feel the blonde’s own hard-on through his pants. After a moment more, the prince finally had his breath back enough that he was able to push Prompto onto his back. The alpha gazed at Noctis lovingly, allowing his omega to do what he wanted. When he had the blonde right where he wanted him, Noctis moved over and pressed a kiss against Prompto’s lips, purring heavily.

Prompto’s rumble sounded in response as he kissed back, idly wondering which route Noctis was going to go. It didn’t take long for Prompto to figure that out, as the omega reached down and tugged on Prompto’s pants, growling a little in annoyance when the material wouldn’t budge as much as he wanted it to. The blonde chuckled softly, before raising his hips to help the raven out.

Humming deeply from his throat, Noctis pulled the piece of cloth down, before he finally pulled away from the kiss. Prompto watched him intently, exhaling a little shakily when his own erection was exposed. For a few moments, Noctis didn’t move. He seemed a little worried or afraid. However, that didn’t last long as a wave of determination came over him and the omega moved down, pressing a wet, open-mouthed kiss to the base of Prompto’s heavy cock.

The alpha inhaled sharply, not realizing how sensitive he had become just from pleasuring Noctis. He then moaned, moving a hand to shakily run his fingers through his omega’s hair reassuringly. At the touch, Noctis released a heavy purr, the sound vibrating across his lips into the blonde’s twitching flesh as he began to mouth and lick along it, almost teasingly. Prompto shuddered, groaning lowly as he was teased.

Still purring, Noctis began to move up slowly, dragging his tongue along the pulsing vein he came across. The blonde moaned louder, his thighs even quivering, and he resisted the strong urge to buck his hips. After a few moments more, which were spent lazily licking along the head of his erection while watching the blonde’s face closely, Noctis finally smiled cheekily, right before he moved in and closed his lips around it.

“A-ah!” Prompto gasped, his grip on his omega’s ebony locks tightening briefly, before he groaned loudly. Purring heavily, Noctis moved around, resting his hands on the blonde’s hips, sucking and licking lazily.

“Fuck…!” the alpha swore, trying very hard to not buck his hips. He didn’t want to accidentally choke Noctis, after all. Purring deeply, Noctis licked at the top of the head, before he dipped his head down and swallowed, the contraction of his throat muscles tightening around the blonde’s cock.

Now, Prompto had a bit more endurance than Noctis thanks to porn, but nothing he’d watched or read could have prepared him for his omega’s hot, wet mouth on him, deep-throating him like it was nothing. And that’s what brought him to his climax, his hips bucking up unintentionally as his cum washed down Noctis’s throat with a loud, pleasured cry.

Noctis nearly choked on the cum washing down his throat and quickly moved back a bit so he could actually swallow. Unfortunately, alphas released a lot more than omegas did, and it proved to be too much for the prince before he pulled back entirely. Which had him gasping out and shutting his eyes as the last spurts hit him right in the face.

“Shit…” the blonde cursed, sitting up and moving to wipe his cum from Noctis’s face with his thumbs. “S-sorry…” he apologized breathlessly.

As Noctis reached up as well to wipe the liquid away, he shook his head briefly. “It’s okay…” he assured. Prompto moved in and kissed his omega softly, grateful that the raven had taken his release like a champ.

“I love you so much,” he whispered when he pulled back.

“…Prom…” the prince murmured softly, as he took deep, steadying breaths. The alpha pulled Noctis into lying down with him again, holding him close and slowly nuzzling Noctis’s hair. However, before Prompto could fall asleep…

“…love you…”

This had Prompto opening his eyes again, and he stared at Noctis for a few seconds before kissing him again. Breathing out softly through his nose in relief, Noctis tilted his head into the kiss, letting the blonde kiss him properly. Said blonde soon pulled back, smiling warmly at Noctis.

“Let’s get some sleep,” he murmured, holding the raven close to him. “And Noct?”

“…yeah…?”

“Thank you.”

“…you’re welcome, Prom… Merry Christmas…”

“Merry Christmas, Noct…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this was so late, but it's a 15 page chapter!


	11. Chapter 11

When morning arrived, Prompto blinked his eyes open, before he looked down at Noctis, who was curled against his chest, sleeping soundly. The events of what they had done the night before came back to him, and he almost wanted to go for it again, but of course, it depended on what his omega was comfortable with. Granted, they had sucked each other off last night, but that was something special. Maybe Noctis had just done so to make it special. Hard to say, but he had a good feeling that things would go better between them now.

Leaning down, he kissed Noctis’s forehead, murmuring, “Good morning, Noct…”

“…mmm…?” Noctis hummed lazily, blinking his eyes open. “…morning…?”

“Yep,” the blonde chuckled, smiling softly.

Noctis groaned as he rubbed at his eyes. “…too early…” he whined softly.

“I know, love, but we do need to eat or else Ignis will have our hides,” Prompto pointed out.

Noctis groaned as he moved his bangs out of his eyes, but finally, he sighed. “Fine, fine… if I must…”

“There we go,” the alpha smiled, kissing the raven chastely. “If there’s still snow out, we can go have some fun out there, and then come back in to cuddle.” At that, he briefly tightened his grip on Noctis, before letting him go. “Now, let’s get dressed and get some breakfast.”

“Yeah, yeah… Pass me my suppressants, will ya?” Noctis groaned out. Prompto did as requested, passing him the strip, but sneaking in another kiss before actually giving it to him.

Which, in turn, had the prince frowning at him sleepily. “Was that necessary?”

“What, you don’t like when I kiss you now?” the blonde chuckled.

“Didn’t say that…”

“I know, I was just teasing.”

Noctis merely huffed, before he swallowed his pill dry once again as he moved to his closet to get dressed. Prompto climbed out of bed as well, getting dressed in a red long-sleeved shirt and a pair of black jeans, tugging on some socks and shoes before looking to Noctis. The prince in question was now wearing some dark pants, as well as a black turtleneck, of which the neck was tugged up as far as it could under his chin.

“Trying to hide if I were to mark you up later?” Prompto teased lightly, smiling in amusement.

“I’d rather be prepared for the cold,” was the calm response.

“All right,” the alpha shrugged. Before they left, however, he asked, albeit a bit hesitantly, “…Noct, last night wasn’t just a one-time thing, right…? Will you let me do that with you again…?”

There was no immediate response from Noctis, before he said, “Maybe later…just…not for a while…kay?”

“Yeah, I understand,” Prompto murmured, unable to help but feel a little disappointed. He had really thought Noctis would feel better about them becoming a bit intimate after last night, but it still seemed like the raven wasn’t entirely certain. However, before they headed out, Noctis suddenly moved over and kissed Prompto’s cheek. Surprised, the blonde looked at Noctis in silent question, but the omega merely shrugged before walking out of the room.

Prompto was quick to follow, still a bit confused. He wasn’t sure where his omega’s thoughts were, but hopefully he would get his answer soon enough. As they walked by the window, Noctis looked out through it, and allowed a small smile. The alpha looked out as well, wondering what had caught Noctis’s eye besides the snow. And when he did, he just barely caught sight of something smooth and green disappearing in the bushes in the garden.

“What was that?” Prompto wondered aloud.

“Heh…I’ll introduce you when we get outside, kay?” Noctis chuckled.

“O…kay?” the blonde uttered, quirking a brow, before he smirked. “Sounds like I’ll get to try out the LOKTON today, then.”

“Fairly sure, yeah,” Noctis agreed as they continued moving down the hall.

“Well, pictures of you will always turn out perfect,” Prompto chuckled as they entered the dining room. Regis wasn’t there, surprisingly, but Prompto figured the King had paperwork to do. And given how Noctis wasn’t the least bit surprised, that was probably the case. When they took their seats, it took only a few moments for Ignis to bring their breakfasts. The alpha nodded to the beta in thanks, before beginning to eat.

Once the couple had finished eating, Prompto looked at Noctis expectantly. “You gonna introduce me now?” he asked with a small smile.

“Heh… Why don’t we head outside first?” Noctis said teasingly. The blonde merely laughed, nodding, before following after his omega.

And once they’d gotten their shoes, scarves, coats, and gloves, they headed out into the garden. “You got your camera, right?”

“Sure do,” Prompto smirked, pulling it out from under his coat. Chuckling, Noctis nodded, even as he started walking further into the garden. The alpha followed along, wondering where the raven’s little “friend” was.

“ _Pireh~_ ”

“What the—?” Prompto uttered, looking about in confusion.

And suddenly, it felt as if something was running up Prompto’s back, before settling on his head with a cheery “Pireh~”

The blonde yelped in surprise, but didn’t move to get whatever was on his head off.

The call made Noctis whirl around—before he blinked, and then he laughed. “Carby! Get down from there, silly!”

“Carby…?” Prompto repeated, trying to look on top of his head.

The moment he tilted his head, though, there was another cheery “Pireh~” before whatever was on his head bounded up—only to be caught by Noctis as the omega held out his arms. “Pireeeeeh~”

The alpha jumped a little from the bound, before looking at the creature in Noctis’s arms.

Now that Prompto had an unobscured look, he realized that Noctis was holding onto what could almost be described as a light green fox, with large, expressive black eyes, huge ears and bushy tail, and a red crystal protruding from its forehead.

Chuckling as he scratched the creature between his ears (which made the creature preen happily and lean into the touch), Noctis said, “Prom, this is Carbuncle. Carbuncle, this is Prompto.”

The creature tilted its head to look at Prompto and then chirped again—at the same time as Prompto’s phone went off in his pocket.

Prompto pulled his phone out in confusion, as he only had Noctis as a contact in his phone, and clearly the raven hadn’t just texted him.

 

“Hi~hi~”

 

The blonde blinked in surprise, before he laughed. “Nice to meet you, too, Carbuncle,” he smiled as he went over to the pair and reached out to pet the fox-like creature. Carbuncle purred happily as he leaned into the touch, still settled calmly in Noctis’s arms.

“So, how do you know him? And how come I haven’t gotten to meet this little cutie sooner?” Prompto asked.

“Ah, Carby’s a friend of the family, I suppose you can say,” Noctis said with a warm smile, as Carbuncle suddenly moved from his arms up to his shoulders, curling around his neck with a cheery “Pireh~”

“Well, he’s certainly cuddly,” the alpha chuckled, smiling at how happy his omega was.

“Yeah, he is,” the prince murmured, reaching up to scratch at the creature’s ears. Prompto watched them for a few moments, before taking a quick picture of them. He was mainly focused on Noctis’s content smile, and it made him happy to see the raven like that. After a few moments, Noctis suddenly whispered something to Carbuncle, and the creature gave a cheery chirp, before he hopped off of his shoulders and bounded off.

“What’d you tell him?” the blonde asked, curious.

“One way to find out, eh?” Noctis chuckled, before he began to go after Carbuncle. Prompto pouted briefly at the vague answer, before following after the prince. And so, they followed after the small creature, through the garden, it took only a few moments to reach a lake that Prompto had been to before. Carbuncle was sitting by the lake, waiting calmly for the others.

“It looks really pretty with all the snow around it,” the alpha commented softly.

Noctis chuckled, smirking. “True…but that’s not why we’re here…”

“Pireh~” Carbuncle chirped—right before he hopped out onto the lake, sliding along the ice covering the lake with a cheery shout. Immediately, Prompto laughed at the sight of Carbuncle basically ice skating on the lake.

“Prom, c’mon!” Noctis laughed as he moved over and tugged on Prompto’s arm, moving toward the lake.

“I’m coming, I’m coming!” the blonde grinned, allowing his omega to tug him along. Still laughing, the prince finally stepped onto the lake, which easily held his weight, and then let himself slide along the surface. Prompto became a little nervous as he did the same, as he had never gone skating before. He really hoped he wouldn’t fall…

Noticing this, the omega slid back over and took hold of his hands. “Don’t worry; it’s easy. C’mon, I won’t let you fall, promise.”

“I trust you,” the alpha murmured, allowing Noctis to guide him. Smiling warmly, Noctis slid slowly backwards, tugging Prompto along with him. And as he did, Carbuncle skidded past them with a merry chirp. The sight made Prompto laugh merrily, even as he was guided along.

As Carbuncle began to bounce along the ice, still chirping, Noctis tugged a little more firmly, making him slide along the ice a little faster. The blonde’s nerves tried to take hold, despite his trust in Noctis, but he took in a steadying breath, calming himself a bit. After all, whenever he’d fallen before, it always ended bad, the worst being when he had been struck with that sword.

“Easy, Prom…” Noctis shushed, gently squeezing his wrist, before he let go slowly. “I’m gonna let go now…but I’m right here, kay?”

“O-okay,” Prompto stuttered, nodding, but when the raven let go, he flailed a little, and was unable to regain his balance, before slamming onto the ice on his back with a pained shout.

“Prom!!” Noctis shouted in alarm, sliding over swiftly before dropping down on his knees by the blonde. And Carbuncle also scampered over, leaning up against his side with a soft trilling sound. However, the alpha couldn’t speak, the wind having been knocked from him, and he gasped for breath. The pain from his scar was intense as well, making him shudder heavily.

“Prom, are you okay?” the prince asked worriedly as he helped Prompto to sit up cautiously. Prompto bit his lip, trying not to cry out from the pain making him back muscles spasm, but shook his head in answer.

“…your scar again?”

A nod was the only response. Frowning sadly, Noctis pulled Prompto up against him, and then slipped his hands under his shirt, resting them gently on the scar. And then, as he exhaled slowly, he let his curative magic flow into the blonde’s skin once again.

The blonde trembled at the touch, his arms instinctively moving to wrap around his omega to help ground himself, and he breathed a sigh of relief when the pain began to fade.

“It’s okay…” the prince murmured. “It’s okay, sssshhh… it’ll be over soon…”

Eventually, when the pain had completely gone, Prompto gazed up at Noctis from where he’d had his head tucked under the raven’s chin, easily visible tear stains on his cheeks, his eyes a bit bloodshot. “Thank you…” he rasped.

“Sssh… it’s okay… I shouldn’t have let go…”

“Pireeeeehhh…”

The alpha shook his head a little. “I’m just scared shitless of falling… Whenever I have, it always ends bad…” he whispered. This news made Noctis’s expression become even sadder still. Which was before Carbuncle chirped and then hopped into Prompto’s lap. Prompto blinked slowly in surprise, before giving a soft, watery laugh as he began to pet Carbuncle. “I guess the best fall I’ve had, though, was when I fell for you,” he murmured, looking back up to Noctis. “And I fell hard.”

Noctis blinked, before he laughed. “Seriously? That was _so_ corny, Prom.”

“Not when it’s completely true,” the blonde retorted, smiling slightly.

“Idiot…” his omega murmured, before he pressed a kiss to his lips.

Prompto kissed back, before pulling away to say cheekily, “But I’m your idiot, and you love me for it.”

Chuckling, still, Noctis pulled his arm over his shoulders as Carbuncle hopped up to the blonde’s head again, before the omega tugged him up to his feet. “C’mon… Let’s get you inside. It’s better to lay down with your back like that…”

“Right… Sorry to cut the fun short…” the alpha sighed as they headed inside.

“Don’t worry… Shiva probably won’t let up for a while…” Noctis assured him with a smile. “We can try again later… if you’re up for it…”

“Yeah…” Prompto nodded. When they got back to Noctis’s room, he managed to shed his coat and other winter gear before switching his jeans for his pajama bottoms and crawling into bed. “You’ll stay with me, right?” he asked quietly, looking up at Noctis.

“Of course,” Noctis murmured as he climbed into the bed with Prompto. Unlike the blonde, he kept his clothes on and, quietly, settled behind the alpha and wrapped his arms around the blonde. Prompto hummed pleasantly at the feeling of his omega’s fuzzy turtleneck against his back, and he soon settled in Noctis’s hold, falling asleep within minutes.

“…Carbuncle,” Noctis whispered softly, and the green fox hopped up onto the bed as well. “…do you mind?”

“Pireh~”

Nodding his head once, Carbuncle hopped up onto the pillow and curled up by their heads. And Noctis smiled warmly before he settled down as well.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

It was only an hour later that Prompto woke up again, choking out an almost agonized-sounding cry.

And this, in turn, made Noctis gasp in alarm. “Prom…?!” he choked out. The blonde, however, didn’t speak, his body arching away from Noctis as his back muscles spasmed painfully. His eyes were shut tight, face twisted in fear and pain, and his hands clawed at the sheets beneath him as though he was trying to escape from the pain.

“Prom! Calm down! Prompto!” the prince called out, curling arms a little more firmly around him, pulling him closer. “It’s okay, it’s okay…”

Prompto whimpered loudly, tears flowing freely as he struggled out of his nightmare, the horrible memories of when he’d been struck with that sword coming back full force.

“Prom… what’s wrong?” Noctis murmured, as Carbuncle moved over and nuzzled his cheek. “Please… talk to me…” The words fell on seemingly deaf ears, though, as the alpha continued to shudder and shake.

Frowning, Noctis looked to Carbuncle. “Carby… I need your help…”

“Pireh~” Carbuncle chirped. And then, as he pressed his nose to Prompto's, the crystal on his forehead began to glow brightly.

Noctis smiled, before he shut his eyes.

 

X*X(Prompto’s Nightmare)X*X

Prompto was on the ground, bleeding heavily, thrashing against the agony from where he’d been stabbed by his sparring partner’s sword. It was so painful, he felt like something in him had probably been fatally wounded. The sounds around him were blurred, but the clearest sound was that of a siren, an ambulance coming to get him help. He was only 14, and his parents weren’t around anymore, so he had no one to help get him through this but himself.

Suddenly…

“Pireh~”

Before Prompto could question it, though, there was a gentle touch to his back, followed by a pleasant, soothing warmth spreading through his body. Slowly, steadily, the blonde’s body stopped thrashing, and he lay there on the ground, gasping for breath after what had happened. Once he’d caught his breath, he found himself able to carefully sit up and look behind himself to see what had helped.

And when he did, he spotted a dark-haired figure, smiling warmly at him with a small green fox sitting by his side. “Hey,” the young man said. “How are you feeling?”

“B…better, but…who…?” Prompto began, trailing off in his confusion.

“Sssh… it’s okay…” the man assured him softly, running a hand through his hair. “Everything will be fine…you’ll see.”

The alpha nodded, feeling a strong sense of familiarity with this man, and he settled back down again, before everything went dark.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

Prompto blinked his eyes open, and he very nearly gasped, before he looked back behind him, feeling horribly guilty. Whenever his back would get aggravated, he would fall into that nightmare, but he had thought that, since Noctis had soothed the pain earlier, he would be fine. Apparently not.

It took a moment for Noctis to open his eyes as well, but when he did, he smiled softly. “Hey…”

“Hey…” the blonde mumbled. “I’m so sorry… I…I should have warned you…”

“Don’t…” Noctis murmured. “It’s fine, don’t worry. It happens…”

“I scared the shit out of you, though, didn’t I?” Prompto frowned slightly. “I never wanted you to see me when I was going through that…”

“Sssh…” the prince shushed, rubbing his hands through the blonde’s hair. “It’s okay… don’t worry so much…” The alpha turned in Noctis’s hold, before leaning in and kissing him softly.

“You are too good to me…” he whispered. “This is one of the many reasons why I love you.”

A warm, gentle smile was the only initial response, before Noctis moved over and gently kissed the blonde. “I love you, too…now go on…get some more sleep, Prom…”

“Okay,” Prompto nodded slightly, before holding his omega close as he fell asleep once more. Noctis smiled, before he looked up to Carbuncle. The small creature chirped happily, tail swaying, before he settled again…this time with his tail flopping down over the couple’s foreheads, carrying them off into dreamland once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SO SORRY FOR WHAT WE DID!!! But at least Prom's okay now~


	12. Chapter 12

X*X(3 Years Later)X*X

It had been a bit over three years together for Prompto and Noctis, and they had become inseparable. Almost all of the Kingsglaive had gained respect for Prompto and approved of him, except for Hyung, who was still hard on him. He had lessened up a little over time, but Regis kept him in check so he wouldn’t upset either of the pair.

The two had kept their relationship hidden perfectly while in school, all the way through graduation, and even in public, the only ones aware of it being those who even knew Noctis was an omega. Granted, there were times when Prompto would want to hold hands while they were out, but he would have to resist the urge, and just cuddle a lot with his omega when they would get home to make up for it.

Speaking of home, by this point, they had moved in together, sharing Noctis’s apartment due to the lease timing when Prompto’s lease was to be renewed. Dino had been very gracious about it, not minding the blonde moving in with Noctis and simply adjusting the rent accordingly. The nice part about it was that Prompto ended up selling all of his furniture in the process, making a good chunk of extra gil since he was sharing almost everything with Noctis. He would have kept a few little things, such as a bedside table for his side of the bed and whatnot, but Noctis had surprised him by getting him what he needed. The alpha was incredibly grateful, and ended up pleasuring his omega as thanks that night.

Much to Prompto’s relief and delight, Noctis had become more accepting of the intimate part of their relationship, allowing the blonde to pleasure him more often than he ever would have in the beginning. However, the alpha still felt bad whenever the raven would return the favor, considering he came a lot more than Noctis did, and typically, it would result with his cum on the prince’s face. Noctis never complained, though, which helped ease Prompto’s guilt.

As for the secret investigation on Prompto’s parents by Valanx, it turned out it had been dropped due to there being complete innocence in regards to Prompto. He had no connection to them any longer, and so they were no longer looked into.

There was one downside to their situation at the current moment, though. With the war with Niflheim having reached a fever pitch, there had been talk going around about a potential peace treaty. However, one of the conditions to the peace treaty was that Noctis would marry Luna Lunafreya. This honestly worried and scared the hell out of Prompto, because if Noctis (or Lucis in general) accepted the terms, then they couldn’t be together anymore, or their relationship would have to be hidden forever. While the latter option was slightly better, Prompto didn’t want to be without Noctis in his life. He wouldn’t be able to bear being away from him, and he couldn’t imagine living either without Noctis, or in a hidden relationship for the rest of his life.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

What Prompto didn’t know, though, was that Noctis was having his own difficulties with the situation. He’d already expected this to happen at one point in time, and he’d already made the same conclusions years ago. Now that he was older, he knew that the best option would be to accept Niflheim’s terms, and then staying with Prompto in the shadows.

But at the same time, he didn’t want to have to hide who he really was. Even though he knew that most of Insomnia would look down upon having an omega as a leader, the laws he’d helped his father write up over the years had gradually been giving the omegas more rights, so he was somewhat hopeful that people would be more accepting. But on the other hand, he’d also heard about some more old-fashioned alphas rebelling against the laws and stating that omegas didn’t _need_ more rights…simply because they weren’t worth the trouble.

Noctis sighed as he solemnly washed his hair in the shower. He was well aware it was stupid to keep worrying about it, but he couldn’t help it, and he was perfectly aware that his father was required to make a choice soon. And by extension, so was he. But what was he supposed to do?

He knew that, even if he decided not to go for marrying Luna and he chose to stay with Prompto, the council wouldn’t accept it and would try to force his or his father’s hand…

‘ _…unless I can’t have it forced…_ ’ he thought to himself, before he shook his head. ‘ _No…no, bad idea. Forget it…_ ’

Then there was a knock on the bathroom door, followed by Prompto’s voice calling through it, “Noct? You okay in there?”

Cursing softly, Noctis ducked his head under the water to get the suds out. “Yeah, I’m okay,” he called out. “I’ll be right out.”

“Okay. I’ll be waiting in the living room,” the alpha replied, and soon, his footsteps faded from the door. Sighing softly with a small smile, Noctis finished washing off and stepped out of the shower. As much as he loved the alpha, he could be an even worse mother hen than Ignis sometimes. Which was not something he would have thought possible a few years ago.

“Hey, Noct! Pizza’s here!” Prompto called from the living room after the short sounds of muffled voices disappeared from the front door.

“Right! Coming!” Noctis called out, moving to get dressed again. Once he was, he headed out into the living room.

“Nice and comfy, huh?” the blonde smiled at him from where he was setting them up for dinner.

“Definitely…” Noctis chuckled as he took his seat. “So what’d you get us?”

“Same as usual, what else? And Mama spoiled us with a little sweet treat: some cinnamon pull apart bread,” Prompto grinned.

“Niiice,” the omega said with a smile, grabbing one of the slices from the box.

“I know, right? Always tasty,” the alpha chuckled, grabbing a slice for himself as well.

“Definitely,” Noctis said around his bite, before he reached out and turned on the TV. As they ate and watched TV, Prompto’s thoughts once again drifted to the situation of the peace treaty. He was scared shitless, and he didn’t know what to do about it. If Noctis was aware of this, he certainly didn’t show it. He just kept his attention on the show. Mostly because he didn’t want to think about it too much.

Eventually, they finished, and the alpha pulled Noctis into his lap, holding him close as they rested in the blanket fort, as had become their nightly routine. As he settled there, Noctis groaned a little sleepily, before he rested his head on Prompto’s shoulder quietly. Prompto smiled softly at this, before kissing his omega’s temple as he laid them both down, tugging a blanket over them. This, in turn, made Noctis hum softly, smiling a little as he began to drift off.

“Goodnight, Noct. Love you,” the blonde whispered when he noticed this, closing his eyes as well.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

It was several hours later, in the middle of the night, when Noctis bolted up in alarm with a gasp that felt like it almost tore his throat open. Somehow, he didn’t wake Prompto, for which he was glad. Once he had caught his breath, he sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair, before he slowly climbed out from the blonde’s hold.

And only when he was sure Prompto was still asleep, he slowly headed for the balcony, though not before grabbing his phone from the charge stand.

As he stepped up to the railing, Noctis leaned up against it and looked out across Insomnia. The bad dream was still fresh in his mind, and as much as he didn’t want to think on it, he couldn't help it, even if some of the details were already fading quickly. While not a full-on nightmare, it was definitely not a pleasant dream.

After all, who really enjoyed a dream where your loved one was ripped away from you, with no chance to get back to them?

Sighing heavily, Noctis brought up his phone and did something he hadn’t done in years; he actually _called_ Luna.

It took a couple of rings, but she did answer, sounding a bit sleepy still.

“ _Noctis…? What’s wrong?_ ” she asked. “ _You don’t normally call me…_ ”

“Hey, Luna…sorry…I just…needed to talk…” Noctis sighed softly.

“ _Let me guess: about the peace treaty, huh?_ ” she guessed, her voice sympathetic.

“…yeah…”

“ _Do I need to remind you of the best option? I know it’s not exactly pleasant, but it’ll guarantee you get to stay with Prompto, regardless of what anyone says. As long you follow through,_ ” she reminded him. “ _I told you about this three years ago, before you even told him the truth._ ”

“I know…I know… but…things haven’t been the best here, yet… with the new laws being put in place, I mean…” Noctis murmured. “I… I’m not sure if the people would accept me if this came to light…”

“ _Who cares what they think? Your happiness comes first, Noctis. And if you’re happy with Prompto, then what the people think shouldn’t matter. And I highly doubt you want to stay hidden like that forever._ ”

“…no…you’re right, I don’t…” Noctis admitted. “…but it’s so hard…to not care what others think…”

“ _I understand, Noctis. I really do. But if you don’t do the right thing for you both, you’re going to lose him. And there won’t be anything that can be done for it. You have to choose between keeping Prompto and revealing the truth, or losing him for good to do what the people want._ ”

“…!” Noctis tensed sharply, his dream from earlier once more jumping to the forefront of his mind. After a long time of silence, though, he sighed heavily. “…right…you’re right… you always are…”

“ _I know it’s terrifying, but he’ll be there for you every step of the way, I know he will. Talk to him about this first, and don’t keep anything held back from him. You two have been together this long, so he needs to know, or he won’t be able to help you, okay?_ ” she murmured. “ _I’ll always be available if you need to talk, but he’s yours, and he’s making you his priority. Be good to each other, and everything will work out, I promise._ ”

“…right… thanks, Luna…”

“ _Anytime, Noctis. Take care of yourself, okay?_ ”

“Yeah…you, too…kay?”

“ _Will do. I’ll talk to you soon. Goodnight~_ ”

“Goodnight…” Noctis murmured, before he moved his phone away and cut the connection.

“Noct…?” Prompto’s tired voice called worriedly from the balcony door. “Are you okay?”

The omega looked over toward the blonde. “Ah… yeah… sorry…couldn’t sleep…”

The alpha went over to him, wrapping his arms around his waist loosely from behind. “…Thinking about the treaty again, huh?” he asked quietly, trying to keep his fear out of his voice…and failing.

“…yeah…”

“What are we going to do…?”

“…” Noctis didn’t answer immediately, but he was biting his lip softly, which was enough of a signal that he was thinking very deeply on something. Something that was really bothering him.

“…Let’s get back inside,” Prompto murmured, guiding his omega back inside, and to the blanket fort, lying down with him. “Whenever you wanna talk.”

Despite the blonde’s words, it took Noctis almost five minutes to speak. “…I spoke to Luna…”

The blonde knew it had to be about the treaty. “And what did she say?”

“…she…said I should…should…”

Prompto remained quiet, letting Noctis try to get out what he needed to say.

“…she suggested…I drop my suppressants…”

The alpha’s eyes widened, shocked. He knew the idea of going into heat scared Noctis shitless, practically, so he was worried about what the raven thought of the idea. But that was really the only way to let them stay together, was for Prompto to mate with Noctis and mark him while his omega was in heat. “…Are you okay with that?” he asked softly. He was honestly scared of the answer being “no”. If he wasn’t, then they wouldn’t be able to stay together, and that thought hurt badly.

“…I dunno…” Noctis admitted softly. Prompto nodded softly, understanding despite the pang of hurt in his heart.

“…but…”

“Hm?”

“…I…don’t want to lose you…”

“I don’t want to lose you, either,” the blonde whispered, holding Noctis close. His voice quivered slightly at the mere idea.

“…I’m scared… I don’t want to go into heat…but…I’m more afraid of losing you…” the omega breathed out quietly.

“I’ll never leave you, Noct, I promise…” Prompto swore. “I’ll take care of you, and stay with you forever… I want us to be proper mates, too. You can’t keep my mark without being in heat, though… But I’ll be good to you, no matter what.”

“…thank you…” Noctis murmured softly, settling against Prompto properly.

“Of course. I love you so much, Noct… You’ve been the best thing to happen to me, so I want to be the best thing for you, too,” the alpha whispered, kissing the raven’s nose.

“…love you, too…” Noctis murmured softly, briefly kissing Prompto’s cheek.

“Let’s get some more sleep. And whenever you’re ready for a heat, I’ll be waiting,” Prompto promised softly, holding Noctis close as he closed his eyes. Noctis didn’t reply to the words; he was already asleep.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

Later on, close to 9:30 in the morning, Prompto woke up first, as usual, and he instantly remembered their conversation from early that morning. He was honestly looking forward to when he could officially say that the raven was truly his omega, but only when Noctis was ready to actually have his heat. And he honestly wasn’t sure when that would be. But he had already promised he wouldn’t leave the prince because he had to wait, and he wasn’t about to now.

Humming contently at the hope in his heart, the blonde kissed Noctis on the lips softly, before whispering, “Good morning, Noct,” while nuzzling his neck.

“…mmm… too early…” Noctis whined.

“It’s about 9:30, love, so it’s not too early,” Prompto chuckled.

“…is for me…”

“You always say that,” the alpha replied, kissing the pale neck tenderly.

“…cuz ‘s true…”

“We can sleep more if you really want to. I’ll spoil you this morning,” Prompto smirked.

“…nrgh… What’s my motivation to get up?” the prince mumbled.

“I’ll make you pancakes,” the blonde offered.

“…” Noctis slowly opened one eye and regarded Prompto lazily. After almost a minute, though, he sighed heavily. “…fiiiiiiine…”

“Thank you,” Prompto murmured, kissing him briefly before letting go so he could go cook breakfast.

Noctis grunted in annoyance as he climbed up to his feet, and then staggered to his room to get dressed properly, rubbing the back of his neck as he went. Once there, he immediately moved to his nightstand and pulled out his suppressant pill strip. He was on auto-pilot until he popped one of the pills out into his hand and brought it up to his mouth…at which point he paused.

“…”

For the longest time, Noctis just stood there, looking down at the pill in his hand. Luna’s words haunted his mind for a long time, as he weighed the pros and cons for way too long…

…and then he growled and abruptly tossed the pill—and the strip—into the garbage chute.

‘ _Please don’t let me regret this…_ ’

When Noctis emerged from their bedroom, the warm scent of pancakes hit his nose, and Prompto smiled at him as he set a plate of them on the table at the omega’s spot.

“Here you go, Noct. As promised,” he chuckled.

“Thanks…” Noctis mumbled lazily as he sat down, rubbing at his forehead. The alpha sat down across from him, but he only had some toast with butter and cinnamon sugar on it.

“…? Don’t you want any pancakes?” Noctis asked curiously.

“I said I was making _you_ pancakes, not us. Besides, I can spoil you when I want,” Prompto smirked, biting into his toast.

“…Idiot…” Noctis sighed as he cut up a piece of pancakes. However, before Prompto could say anything, the moment he opened his mouth, Noctis popped the piece into the blonde’s mouth. The blonde blinked, a little startled, before he swallowed after chewing.

“Sneaky shit,” he chuckled, rolling his eyes. Noctis merely chuckled, even as he went back to his own breakfast. However, as they ate, Prompto began to notice something…off.

“You stopped taking your suppressant, huh?” Prompto guessed.

The prince looked up from the bite he’d just taken, before he snorted and finished the bite. “I took it…just after I dressed…” he said simply. “Guess I was too tired to remember…”

“Oh…” the alpha uttered, appearing a little disappointed, before smiling. “Well, you smell good.”

Noctis merely shrugged. “If you say so…”

Internally, he was sighing in relief. He didn’t want to lie to Prompto, but he was still not 100% sure on if he really dared to do this. He still had the injectors in case he changed his mind, and he could probably ask Iggy to bring by an extra strip if he had to…under the pretense that he had misplaced the last. Not completely unbelievable for him, to be fair.

Still, he would hold out for today, and see if he dared to continue with this once the next day came… He did catch Prompto’s disappointment, after all, and he didn’t want to give the alpha false hope that he was ready for this just yet…

…at least not until he was _absolutely_ sure he was ready…


	13. Chapter 13

X*X(2 Days Later)X*X

It had been two days since Noctis and Prompto had spoken about their decision to have Noctis go through heat so they couldn’t be separated from each other. Two full days had passed ever since the raven had secretly stopped taking his suppressants, without actually informing Prompto about it. With each day that had passed since then then, though, Prompto could tell something was changing subtly. He could smell that his omega’s normal scent was changing to something much more pleasant, but he wasn’t entirely sure why. Had Noctis really stopped taking his suppressant? The prince had claimed he was still taking it, but the alpha wasn’t so sure. Given everything that was going on, it did seem like he wasn’t taking them anymore, but he didn’t want to press the issue.

It was mid-morning, though, and Prompto was being kept asleep by the warm scent of his omega as he held him close, humming contently on occasion.

And this seemed to suit Noctis just fine; as he lay curled up against Prompto, breathing softly with his ear resting against the blonde’s chest. However, despite his lazy nature, he actually found himself slowly waking up. Initially, he wasn’t even sure what had woken him up, and he slowly blinked his eyes open, trying to figure out what was going on.

As awareness began to sink in properly, though, he began to notice something else… Prompto smelled… _really_ good…

Blinking lazily, Noctis moved up so that his chin rested on Prompto’s shoulder, and then took a long whiff of the alpha’s scent. Which went straight to his head and then sped along down to his gut, making him moan deeply.

Immediately, Prompto’s eyes opened, his gaze very surprised despite being a bit murky from sleep still, before he caught Noctis’s strong scent, making him rumble in his chest. His alpha instincts were trying to take over fully already, but he refused to let them, not if he could help it. He didn’t want to hurt Noctis, after all.

“Y…you stopped taking your…suppressant…” he gasped out, already finding it hard to speak clearly from the omega’s heat scent. Noctis didn’t respond to the words, too focused on Prompto’s scent, as he breathed in deeply, a deep purr escaping his throat. The alpha wasn’t dumb; he knew the raven had stopped taking them, and he knew now he had to get them both through this. He inhaled his omega’s scent deeply, before a soft growl escaped him as he turned his head to catch Noctis’s lips in a fierce kiss.

And the omega reacted immediately; moaning deeply as he climbed on top of Prompto, as his body began to heat up to the point where it was almost painful. Prompto groaned heavily, feeling himself begin to harden pretty damn quick, especially when he could feel Noctis hardening as well, his cloth-covered cock pressing against his stomach. He then deepened the kiss, growling quietly, his instincts trying to wordlessly tell the raven he belonged to him.

This made Noctis mewl softly, briefly moving away from the kiss as his body felt like it was thrumming. “Pr…Prom…!” he choked out. “I… Please…I…I _need_ you…please…!”

“I’m g…going,” the blonde panted, very nearly ripping first his shirt off, then Noctis’s, and then rolling them so the prince was beneath him as he pulled off both their pajama pants and underwear. Unable to resist, though, he kissed Noctis hotly again, trailing his fingers down his omega’s nude body. The raven’s body jumped at the touch, a sharp gasp escaping him, as he reached up with shaking arms to try and grab onto the blonde’s shoulders. As he raised his leg a bit, though, he wailed as the heat began to center lower, as a cold feeling began to slip from his body.

Prompto pulled back slightly to watch him, and lowered one hand to between Noctis’s thighs, his alpha rumble still sounding to comfort the raven as he slid a finger around his omega’s entrance, before slipping one inside, making Noctis jump with a small gasp. However, that soon turned into a full-blown moan as he moved the digit around.

“A-a-aaahhh… Pro…Promp…to…!” he managed to get out. “Please…A-Astrals, _please!_ It…it’s so hot… I-I can’t…!”

The alpha groaned loudly, and then withdrew his finger, before lining up with Noctis’s entrance…and then pushing in.

“ _Ahh!!_ ” Noctis tensed sharply, the sudden entry causing every muscle in his body to contract. And yet, shockingly, he didn’t feel any pain, which he had been expecting to happen. Instead, his body felt like it was thrumming even harder than before, and he didn’t even notice he was now actually trembling as tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. Upon seeing the tears, Prompto lowered himself to hold his omega even closer, kissing away the tears.

“I’m here…” he breathed. “I love you… _so_ much…”

Noctis couldn’t even speak in response; all that came out was a pitiful mewl as he clawed at Prompto’s back. All while trying to get himself back under control…which failed. A small growl escaped the omega as he managed to curl a leg around Prompto’s back and then pull him down harshly. The blonde nearly howled from the pleasure, his body almost spasming as his hands gripped tightly at Noctis’s hips. With a low snarl, he began to move, thrusting in hard and deep, grunting quietly with each one as his knot began to build.

And all that the omega could get out were choked cries and screams, his short nails digging into the blonde’s skin. Every thrust caused his body to jolt from the pleasure shooting up his spine, which was making him salivate to the point where he was drooling out of the left side of his mouth. Prompto gave a loud groan at a particularly hard jolt from Noctis, feeling his omega tighten around him briefly as he began to move faster, propping himself up on his forearms to change the angle slightly, seeking out the raven’s prostate.

And the moment he found it, Noctis’s short nails dug into his shoulders hard enough to draw blood with a sound that was like a gasp, a choke, and a sob rolled into one. Once the brief surge of pleasure had stopped, though, Noctis wailed loudly.

“Again…! Please again…!”

The alpha nodded once, before slamming into Noctis repeatedly, his movements beginning to become shallower as his knot built. He then instinctively placed his lips at the prince’s scent glad, inhaling the powerful, addicting scent deeply, his lips curling into a snarl…right before he bit down, marking Noctis as his. As soon as he had marked him, he screamed as his knot finished building, and he released inside of his omega, groaning loudly in pure ecstasy.

“Ah-aaahhh…!!” Noctis gasped out, before he gave a broken cry as his own release hit him, his head falling back on the pillows…before he went limp.

“You…you okay…?” Prompto panted out.

“…no…not…enough…”

Suddenly, Noctis slammed his palm into Prompto’s shoulder and forced him to roll over, moving with him until he sat on top of him. When what just happened registered in the blonde’s head, he felt his knot go down a little as he came again with a loud moan at the mere sight of Noctis about to ride him, it was that erotic. His hips jolted up as he did, burying himself even deeper into his omega. He grasped tightly at the raven’s hips, digging his fingers into them hard enough to bruise as he watched Noctis with wide, lust-darkened blue eyes while his omega began to move in his lap.

As he moved, Noctis moaned and mewled loudly, his eyelids fluttering rapidly—with his irises glowing pure violet.

Prompto’s jaw went a little slack at the sight, even as he thrust up here and there, adding to the pleasure.

But in the next instant, Noctis dropped himself forward, grabbed Prompto’s face in his hands and then smashed their mouths together fiercely. The alpha kissed back hungrily, his rumble sounding loudly in his chest at the realization that this gorgeous omega was his, and his alone. And as if Noctis had the same thought, he purred heavily, fingers curling in Prompto’s hair, as he managed to somehow keep moving. Hell, he even managed to move even faster.

Prompto then began to thrust up as Noctis continued to move, growling softly into the kiss while gripping the prince’s hair as well to keep him close. He wanted to be the one to pleasure his omega, not let the raven do all the work. And with that slight change in movement, he managed to strike Noctis’s prostate powerfully with each thrust, feeling his knot begin to build up again from all of the movement.

As soon as he did, Noctis cried out into the kiss, his fingers tugging at Prompto’s hair, before he instinctively bit down on Prompto’s lip. The blonde hissed at the bite to his lip, before he gasped sharply as his knot finished rebuilding, making him come again, and he broke off the kiss with a pleasured shout of Noctis’s name, burying his cock in as deep as he could inside of his omega.

“Nrgh…!” Noctis groaned out, tensing sharply, before he flopped down onto the blonde, gasping heavily. Prompto was panting and gasping for breath as well, moving his arms to shakily wrap around Noctis’s shoulders, even as he struggled not to move while his knot was still too big to do so. Unable to stop himself completely, however, he rocked his hips into his omega’s, hissing and tensing sharply as he released again, his knot going down a little. In turn, the omega mewled softly, trembling subtly, before he slowly began to kiss and nibble on Prompto’s neck.

The alpha rumbled contently as he did, rocking his hips again as he rode out another orgasm, his grip on Noctis’s shoulders tightening briefly.

“…aaaaaahhh… Pr…Prooom…”

“Are you…you okay…?” Prompto panted, shuddering and groaning heavily at yet another orgasm, not caring when his cum began to leak from Noctis’s ass around his knot.

“…y…yeah…”

The blonde held his omega close, kissing his temple. “Fuck…” he hissed, tensing up when he had another orgasm. “This heat…isn’t fucking around…” he breathed, before giving an experimental roll of his hips, feeling his knot had gone down enough to pull out.

“No…!” Noctis cried out almost immediately, pushing back down onto the blonde’s still hardened cock. “Don’t…you dare…”

Prompto moaned as Noctis pushed back down on him, before nodding shakily. He definitely hadn’t expected that one. Carefully, he rolled them onto their sides, and leaned down to kiss and tease his omega’s mark. Purring deeply, Noctis wrapped his arms around the blonde’s neck, breathing in the other’s heavy scent. The alpha rumbled a little louder at the purring, inhaling Noctis’s still very evident heat scent. Obviously, they’d need a bit of a breather and some rest for now, but there would definitely be more to come over the next five days.

As they lay there, Prompto softly kissed his mate mark on Noctis’s neck, before whispering, “Rest, Noct. I’m not going anywhere. We’ll need it to get through the next five days…”

“Mm…fine…” the omega murmured lazily, settling against the blonde.

“Love you, Noct,” the blonde smiled softly, holding the prince close to him as he settled as well, and then pulled the blanket over them before closing his eyes.

“…mmm…love you, too…” Noctis purred from the back of his throat. This made Prompto hum happily, before the pair fell asleep, holding each other close.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

When Prompto woke up again, it was to Noctis’s heat scent reawakening, and making him moan quietly as soon as his eyes opened. He looked down at his omega in his hold, and saw that he was already wide awake before him, for once, quietly panting and shivering as though he was trying to get through it without help.

“Noct…” he whispered, immediately gaining the raven’s attention, making him look up. Which was when Prompto realized that Noctis’s face was flushed from the heat, his eyes glowing violet still.

“…more…” he breathed then, moving closer until his lips were barely an inch away from the alpha’s. “…please…give me…more…” he begged before pressing their lips together. The alpha was quick to respond, kissing back hotly, and feeling his cock already begin to harden. Somehow, in their sleep, he’d pulled out, but that wouldn’t last long at this rate.

Pulling back slightly, he growled, “I’ll satisfy my omega with everything I have.” He then kissed Noctis passionately, lapping at his lips hungrily, seeking entry.

Which was granted almost immediately with a deep purr, as Noctis tried to move himself onto the blonde’s cock again. “ _Please_ …”

This time, however, Prompto moved back from that, and instead shifted them until he had Noctis on his back again. He smirked down at the raven, before easing himself into that tight, slick heat, groaning lowly.

Gasping briefly in sheer relief, Noctis’s back arched up, as he grabbed onto the blonde’s arms. “Please… _please_ …!”

“Going,” the blonde grunted, setting a swift, hard pace, thrusting in deep and striking Noctis’s prostate on the first one, which had the omega howling out loudly, tensing sharply, before he cried out and dug his fingers into the skin. Prompto chuckled breathlessly, before beginning to pound into his omega, dipping his head down to lap at and tease Noctis’s mate mark.

Mewling at every hit to his prostate, Noctis tried to move his hips in turn into the blonde’s thrusts. Sadly, that wasn’t as easy with how fast Prompto was moving. The alpha rumbled loudly as his knot built, truly enjoying how Noctis felt around him. The raven was so tight and hot around his cock, he felt amazing. His thrusts started to slow and become shallower again as his knot grew, signaling that he was about to knot his omega again.

“A-ah…! Pr…Promp…tooooo!! Please! _Please!_ ” Noctis choked out hotly. Prompto nodded once, before giving one last, deep thrust as he came, burying himself completely into his lover’s ass with a choked scream of the prince’s name. Wailing at the sensation, Noctis clawed at Prompto’s shoulders, whimpering pitifully, before he moved to kiss the blonde again.

The blonde kissed Noctis lovingly, his hips rocking into the raven’s, riding out each and every orgasm as he groaned, hissed, and moaned through each one. Again, he could soon feel his cum leaking out of Noctis’s ass around his cock, and he shuddered heavily at the feeling. And Noctis purred heavily as his own release hit him, settling briefly against his alpha. Prompto gazed at Noctis once he had rolled onto his side with his omega, keeping his cock inside of him with a warm smile.

“This…is amazing…” he whispered. “I love having you as mine officially now.” He nuzzled Noctis’s mate mark before speaking against his neck. “I love you so much…” The omega couldn’t even respond, still trying to catch his breath. Eventually, though, he hummed as he moved to lick and kiss at the alpha’s neck. The alpha chuckled softly, even as his rumble sounded in his chest.

Suddenly, Noctis’s phone went off, signaling a text, making Prompto glare at the device. “Who the hell would text you right now?” he growled. The omega, in turn, moaned in annoyance, as he tried to reach for his phone, without letting go of Prompto. Which, of course, wasn’t working. “Might as well let me go, Noct… I’ll still be here, though. Not going anywhere,” the blonde pointed out. “As for me being inside of you… There’s always plenty of me for you.”

“Nnnn… Don’t wanna…” Noctis complained.

“I know, but what if it’s Ignis? If you don’t answer, he’s gonna call, and then possibly come over, and he’ll find out…” Prompto sighed.

“…” The omega pouted, before he suddenly wrapped an arm around Prompto’s neck, and then rolled them sideways. “You grab it then…”

The alpha chuckled at the raven’s antics, before snagging up his lover’s phone and handing it to him. “Who is it?” he asked as Noctis unlocked it.

“…Iggy…” Noctis whined softly.

“Aw shit… What does he want?”

“…” Squinting, Noctis tried to read for a moment, before he sighed. “Just…checking in…” he mumbled, as he moved to type with one hand.

 

**Me: Were fine Iggy**

**Me: Thanks anyway**

 

It wasn’t long before a concerned text came back.

 

**Specs: What’s going on, Noct? Is something wrong? You’re normally not short with me.**

**Me: Im fine**

**Me: Just tired**

**Specs: …As long as you’re sure… Would you like me to come by to make dinner tonight?**

 

Growling a bit, Noctis quickly tapped out a response.

 

**Me: Nah**

**Me: Prom said hed cook dinner**

**Me: But thanks anyway**

**Specs: You’re welcome. Let me know if you need anything.**

**Me: Will do**

 

Done with that, Noctis abruptly tossed the phone away. “Fiiiinaaallyyyy…”

“Better?” Prompto chuckled, kissing the raven’s lips briefly.

“…no…” Before Prompto could ask about it, though, Noctis pulled him back in and crushed their mouths together again.

The blonde smirked into the heavy kiss, before pulling back briefly to murmur, “I’ll fuck you into oblivion as much as you want me to…” and then rolling his hips into his lover’s.

Whimpering at the words, Noctis bit his lip briefly, before he gasped at the rolling motion. “A-ah…fu…please…! Please, Prompto…!”

“Whatever makes my omega happy,” Prompto chuckled. “I can’t wait to fuck you while you’re pregnant with our child…” He grinned wickedly as his knot built, still thrusting into Noctis smoothly. Gasping at every thrust, Noctis tried to hold on for a little longer, but it was just so hard. Especially when Prompto hit his prostate every single time, making him scream in pleasure, as his entire body spasmed sharply. The alpha leaned down, nuzzling at his omega’s throat, giving a particularly hard thrust as he finished building his knot, releasing into Noctis with a loud groan of his lover’s name.

Whimpering as he came down from his own release, Noctis tried to reach up for the alpha, but his arms fell down to the blankets below as he went limp, gasping for every breath he took.

“Sssshhhh…” Prompto shushed softly, despite his heavy shudder as another orgasm coursed through him. “Later, I’m gonna fuck you in the bathtub,” he warned with a smirk, holding his omega close. “I’m going to fuck you wherever we can fuck during your heat, and I’m gonna ensure you love every second of it.”

And the prince couldn’t even get a word out; he merely whined softly as his body trembled with each of his alpha’s orgasms, silent pleas tumbling off of his lips. Noticing the way Noctis’s lips were moving, the blonde chuckled darkly.

“What does my omega want me to do?” he whispered hotly in the raven’s ear.

Shuddering, Noctis’s mouth moved soundlessly for a moment, before he was finally able to get a sound out. “…ple…please…fu…fuck me…please…”

“There we go…” Prompto murmured, shuddering through the last orgasm before pulling out, and then scooping Noctis into his arms bridal style as he got out of bed. Normally, Noctis would’ve been complaining about being carried this way, but now, he was just too tired to care, as he instead clung to the blonde with a whimper.

“Ssshhh…” the alpha soothed, holding his lover close as he went into the bathroom. Still managing to keep a hold on the prince, he started the bath water, kissing Noctis briefly and repeatedly to keep him going until the tub was full of warm water. Carefully, he climbed in, sitting in the tub with Noctis straddling his hips.

“Ride me, my omega,” he whispered, smirking widely as he smelled the slick leaking from his lover’s ass. Nodding slowly, Noctis reached for the side of the tub, gasping softly. Once he was sure he was doing okay, he pushed up slowly, and then dropped back down with a cry, before repeating the motion again, and again…and again. Prompto groaned at the sight and sensations, his hips beginning to thrust up and into Noctis, striking his prostate.

Crying out in pleasure, the omega’s hands almost slipped entirely, and he actually had to stop briefly to catch his breath, whimpering softly. The blonde paused, letting his lover catch his breath, despite how he wanted to pound into him. Thankfully, it didn’t take him that long, as he took a deep breath, and then proceeded to move again, moving faster than he had previously. Even though it was clear that his arms were trembling from keeping himself up.

Prompto, noticing how Noctis’s arms were trembling, reached out and pulled the raven to him so he could hold him, his rumbling sounding once more. He began to kiss and nip along Noctis’s neck and shoulders as he thrust into him still, his knot swelling until it was done, before he came inside of his omega with a loud, long groan. Moaning loudly in Prompto’s ear, Noctis tensed briefly, before he whined and settled against Prompto lazily.

“…Better for now, love?” the alpha murmured, kissing his lover’s temple softly, shivering as he had another orgasm.

“…mmm…maybe…”

“We’ll get some rest for a lot more later once my knot goes down, Noct, I promise,” Prompto chuckled, managing to tone down his groan from the next orgasm to a pleased sigh. And once his knot did go down enough, he pulled out, kissing the prince softly before carrying him out and back to bed after draining the tub. He honestly didn’t give a flying fuck that they were getting into bed wet; after all, the bed would probably need to be disinfected after this heat. Or burned.

He held Noctis close as he pulled the blanket over them again, smiling happily as he murmured, “I love you so much, Noct. Get some sleep. We’ll fuck more when your heat wants it~” Noctis hummed lazily, smiling softly as he rested his head against Prompto’s chest.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

Somehow, they had managed to sleep through the night, but Prompto was woken again by his omega’s addictive heat scent, practically demanding to be satiated. He grunted quietly as he opened his eyes, before looking down at Noctis with a smirk, the raven already awake, panting quietly.

“Someone’s ready for more, hm?” he teased, nipping at Noctis’s ear teasingly. In response, the omega pouted, before he pressed closer to kiss his alpha. “It’s okay… I’ll take good care of you,” the blonde soothed, kissing his lover tenderly. He rumbled in a pleased manner when he felt how hard Noctis already was, the prince’s erection pressing against his stomach.

Purring heavily, Noctis began to move against Prompto, curling his arms around his alpha’s neck. When he started to move against Prompto, however, said alpha growled warningly, before pinning the raven to the bed, a cheeky grin on his face.

“Proooom…!” Noctis whined.

“Easy, Noct… I’ll satisfy you~” Prompto chuckled, his erection throbbing with his own need, before he moved down his omega’s body. He wasn’t going to fuck him just quite yet this time. He wanted this one to last a little. Not only that, but…he wanted to taste that slick. He licked his lips as he lifted Noctis’s thighs, pressing them to the raven’s chest. “Keep them there,” he said firmly, kissing one of his soft thighs.

“…? A-ah…?” Though he was clearly confused, Noctis reached for his legs and put his hands under his knees to keep them up. The blonde smirked as he lowered himself further, spreading Noctis’s ass cheeks and exhaling hotly against his entrance, which made the omega gasp and tense for a moment, grinning when slick began to trickle out. And then he moved in, dragging his tongue over his lover’s entrance.

And this, in turn, made Noctis cry out in a combination of shock, embarrassment and pleasure, his cheeks burning crimson as all three emotions battled for dominance. “A-ahhhh!! Pr-Prompto…!!”

Prompto moaned at the taste as he continued to lap up his omega’s slick, the vibration further increasing the pleasure for Noctis. That’s when he briefly circled his tongue around the twitching muscle…right before he pressed his tongue inside with a groan.

“AHH!!!” Noctis howled, his fingers tensing against his legs. “Pro… _ahhh!!_ Oh god…! Pro…Promp…tooooo!!”

The alpha smirked against Noctis’s skin, swirling his tongue around inside of him, humming at the amazing taste. And the more Prompto continued, the more incoherent Noctis became, until he could only whimper and whine as he tried to lift his hips toward the alpha. Unfortunately, the pleasure mounting from his alpha’s tongue was rendering those attempts pointless. Finally, Prompto pulled away when his own cock began to throb painfully, and he moved closer to Noctis, kissing him hungrily and holding him close before pushing in smoothly, groaning lowly.

Noctis gave a noise that was like a wail and a sigh in one at the smooth entry, before releasing his legs and letting them wrap around Prompto’s waist, pulling him down to kiss him hungrily. The blonde chuckled softly into the kiss, entwining his tongue with his omega’s and letting him taste his own slick as he began to move quickly, his motions almost desperate. And this made Noctis release a pitiful whine into the other’s mouth, his arms tightening around his shoulders tightly while his toes curled up and spasmed.

Prompto didn’t take long this time, soon coming inside of his lover with a choked gasp, shuddering heavily. He ground against Noctis repeatedly as he continued having his orgasms, kissing and licking at the raven’s mate mark.

“Ah-ahhh!!” Noctis wailed, his own release hitting him. The alpha grunted as Noctis tightened considerably around him when he came, practically milking him of any remaining cum from his deflating knot. He remained inside of his lover, though, holding him close.

“…You okay?” he asked softly after a few minutes.

“…hah…hah…n…not…not enough…” Noctis whimpered softly.

“Really now? Then I’ll just have to fix that, huh?” Prompto smirked wickedly, nipping at his omega’s ear as he began to roll his hips into Noctis once again.

“A-ah…! M-more…! Please, more…!” the prince whined pitifully, clinging to Prompto’s shoulders.

“Sshh…” the blonde shushed gently, his cock already hardening inside of the raven. “I’ll take good care of you, Noct…” He then kissed Noctis hotly, deepening the kiss without waiting as he lowered one hand to stroke at his lover’s reawakening cock. The touch was enough to have the prince wailing and moaning even louder than before, arching off the bed instinctively. He tried to speak several times, but the words dissolved into incoherent babbling by the time they reached his mouth, making him whimper loudly. Prompto planted butterfly kisses all over Noctis’s face, thrusting into him smoothly and deeply as the seconds went by. His rumble became louder as well, and he soon gained a good rhythm with his hand’s motions in time with his thrusts.

When Noctis finally realized that speaking was useless in this scenario, he began to purr loudly, clinging tightly to the blonde above him with both arms and legs, pulling him in faster and harder. His alpha thrust in hard, fast, and deep, moaning and groaning loudly until he finally came, _hard_ , burying himself all the way to the hilt as he cried out Noctis’s name. Noctis couldn’t even manage that as all that came out was a half-choked scream as his own and Prompto’s release hit him from both sides. And as he came off of his high, he went limp, gasping heavily.

Prompto trembled slightly from the aftershock of that intense orgasm, before rolling them so they were on their sides, pulling Noctis close. “You okay…?” he asked quietly. It took a while before Noctis was able to answer. And even then, it was only by a minuscule nod. “You want more, huh?” the blonde guessed softly, kissing his omega lovingly.

“…please…” Noctis (barely) gasped out.

“Anything for you, Noct,” Prompto smiled warmly, beginning to slowly rut against him to build himself back up to full hardness. He wasn’t going to stop until he was told to, unless either of them were on the brink of passing out. His libido and desire for his mate would definitely be able to satisfy the raven. And it was clear Noctis was of the same mindset, as he mewled and pressed closer as well, arching up into the blonde instinctively at every one of the blonde’s hip rolls.

The alpha groaned deeply, loving how Noctis felt around his hardening cock, before crying out in pleasure when their hips met perfectly, the raven’s ass tightening around him and keeping him deep inside. He thrust quickly and shallowly because of this, the head of his cock striking Noctis’s prostate repeatedly.

“ _Mmmnnnngh!_ A-aaahhh! Pr…Prom…!”

“I’m here…” Prompto growled, before ducking his head down and suckling at Noctis’s mate mark. Noctis moaned loudly as the mark was bitten, sucked and teased, clawing at Prompto’s back. Then, though, he tried to return the favor by nipping along the blonde’s throat…as best as he could while barely having any breath. The blonde moaned loudly at the nips and clawing, before giving a particularly hard thrust against his omega’s prostate as he came with an ecstasy-filled cry of Noctis’s name, making the raven cry out in pleasure as his own release hit him right after.

As Prompto came down from his own high, shuddering and moaning through each orgasm as his knot went down, he was breathing heavily, but despite this, he still held Noctis close to him, kissing his pale throat softly.

It took said raven several long moments before he was able to stop his body from trembling in the wake of his last release, though his fingers kept twitching. As a bit of clarity returned to his head, he couldn’t help but wonder how many times it’d been at this point. Definitely more times than he could remember right off the top of his head, and he could already feel that his heat wasn’t about to leave it at just that. However, as he laid there, he felt more than heard his stomach complaining to him.

“…Prom?” he croaked out.

“Yeah?” Another kiss was pressed to his throat.

“…hungry…”

His alpha pulled back with a soft smile, kissing his nose briefly, before easing out of Noctis with a soft hiss. “I’ll fix us something, then,” he murmured, starting to get out of bed. Before he could get far, though, Noctis scooted after and grabbed his wrist as he was getting up, whining unhappily. “All right, love, I’ll bring you with me,” Prompto chuckled softly. He then pulled on his previously discarded pajama pants, and scooped his lover up into his arms, loosely covering him with a blanket from their bed and carrying him out to the dinner table. Gently, he set him on one of the chairs, kissing his forehead lightly and then going to the fridge to look for something quick to fix. After all, he didn’t want to waste too much time with Noctis’s heat.

Humming softly, Noctis ducked into the blanket a little better, to find a little bit of more warmth. But as he did, he almost flinched as he felt hot fluid dripping out from his ass. And when he realized what it was, he almost moaned, though he bit it back quickly. Unfortunately, Prompto heard him, and looked back at him curiously.

“You okay?” he asked.

“…!” Noctis flinched a bit, before he quickly nodded his head, ducking back into the blanket and tossing it over his head, too.

“Noct…” the blonde murmured, going back over to him. “It’s okay, I won’t do anything until we’ve eaten. Now what’s up?”

“…nothing…” Noctis squeaked. Prompto leaned in closer, and that’s when he smelled it: his cum. He then realized some had leaked out of the raven, and he smiled kindly.

“Noct… Do you want to take a shower after we eat? I’ll shower with you so I’m not away from you,” he offered.

“…” A nod was the only response he got.

“Okay. We’ll shower after some food,” his alpha smiled, leaning in, raising the blanket, and kissing his nose. He then went back to the fridge, and found some makings for them to have a sandwich each. He made one for Noctis, and then himself, setting his omega’s on the table in front of him. “Here you go, Noct.”

Noctis peeked out from under the blanket, and he briefly nodded his thanks, before he reached out and picked up the sandwich. Prompto smiled to himself as he began to eat his own, loving the atmosphere. It was clear that he’d fucked Noctis until he was hoarse, and it made him want to puff his chest a little with pride at how well he’d pleasured his lover.

The prince didn’t seem to notice this in the least. Instead, he focused on eating his sandwich as fast as he could without choking on the bites. It was obvious that he was getting ‘needy’ again, even though he was doing his best to not show it to his alpha. Not that it was hard to figure out with his scent growing stronger and stronger…

As soon as the blonde picked up on the scent, though, he inhaled deeply, wordlessly telling Noctis he knew, smirking slightly at him. Which, in turn, made Noctis flinch harshly, and tuck his head under the blanket, blushing fiercely.

“I’ll make you feel really good, Noct,” Prompto purred as soon as he’d finished his sandwich. Noctis almost choked on the last bite of his sandwich, though he did whimper wantonly. The alpha chuckled lowly, waiting until his omega had finished his food completely before moving over to him, scooping him out of the chair and kissing him hotly. When he pulled back, though, he whispered, “How about that shower?”

“…” Biting his lip, Noctis nodded his head softly, resting his head against Prompto’s shoulder.

“Oh, don’t worry, Noct. I won’t leave you hanging,” Prompto smirked, carrying him to their room and then the adjoining bathroom. He set the raven down on the toilet so he could get his pajama pants back off, and then turned on the shower, letting the water warm up as he pulled the blanket off of Noctis. “Let’s have some ‘fun’, hm?”

Whining softly, Noctis let Prompto tug him up—only to stumble with a gasp and fall against his alpha. “Ssshhh…” the blonde shushed him softly, holding him close and pecking his lips. “I won’t let you fall, okay?” Nodding, Noctis lifted his arms and wrapped them around the blonde’s shoulders, trying to stay on his legs…but they just wouldn’t support his weight properly.

“Damn, I did a little too good, huh?” Prompto teased lightly, but held Noctis against him as he reached over and flipped the shower to a bath instead, knowing that would be better for Noctis right now. “We’ll just take a bath instead, then.”

“Y…yeah…” Noctis murmured, nodding. Once the tub was filled enough, the alpha climbed in, seating the prince in his lap in the tub.

“Let’s get you cleaned up, shall we?” he smiled, kissing him. The raven moaned softly as the blonde started to wash him, trembling softly. Prompto chuckled as his cock began to harden against his lover, even as he shampooed Noctis’s hair. As the blonde washed his hair, Noctis sighed softly, tilting his head back a bit. However, he was still trembling as he did, his hands clutching the sides of the bathtub.

Once the blonde had rinsed the ebony locks out, he whispered hotly in his ear, “Do you want me, Noct?”

Whimpering, Noctis bit his lip briefly, before he turned his head and tried to capture Prompto’s mouth in a kiss. Prompto was more than willing to comply, giving a smooth roll of his hips and slipping inside of Noctis with ease as he growled softly into the kiss. This, in turn, made Noctis whine into the kiss, as he reached up for the blonde’s head while rolling his hips back. The alpha pulled his omega against his chest, kissing, licking, and suckling on his mate mark as he began to thrust up into Noctis, rumbling loudly in a very pleased manner.

“A-aaahhhh…!” the omega wailed, clawing at Prompto’s hand as he tried to move back against his alpha as best as he could with his legs refusing to work with him. Prompto didn’t mind either way, thrusting in deep and hard, striking Noctis’s prostate with by-now practiced ease. Noctis gasped out a breathless cry at every consecutive hit, whimpering and wailing as he grabbed onto Prompto with trembling fingers.

“…Do you wanna cum, Noct?” the blonde asked seductively, nipping and licking at the shell of his lover’s ear.

“P-please…!” Noctis breathed out with a whimper. “Pl…please…l-let me… a-aaaahhh…!”

“Whatever my omega wants,” Prompto chuckled hotly, before giving a particularly powerful thrust and dragging his tongue across his mate mark. That did it; Noctis barely managed to let out a scream, given how hoarse he already was, as his body arched up into Prompto’s hold, with his release hitting him _hard_. The alpha drove in a bit deeper, groaning erotically as he came as well, before holding the raven closer and kissing the back of his neck.

“I love you…” he murmured, shuddering through another orgasm.

“…hah…hah…” The omega panted for a few moments, before he turned his head to kiss Prompto’s cheek softly. “…l…lo…ve…you…too…”

“Good boy,” Prompto smiled, before tensing and hissing when he had another orgasm course through him, rutting shallowly against Noctis’s hips. “We’ll rest after this, love. You have an ass full of cum right now, after all.” Noctis couldn’t even respond with words; he could only nod as he rested against Prompto blissfully. Once his knot went down completely, the blonde drained the tub, climbing out with a sleeping Noctis in his arms, and then carried him back to bed. He held his omega as close as he could to himself, kissing his temple before settling down to sleep as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been the most erotic, sex-filled chapter we've ever written. O.O;


	14. Chapter 14

X*X(3 Days Later, After Noctis’s Heat)X*X

The heat was finally over for Noctis. Five long days of intense sex with short breaks to sleep had occurred between himself and Prompto, and his alpha had been more than willing to satiate the prince’s heat. They had only stopped to eat a few times, but were usually right back at it within five minutes of finishing eating.

Prompto had kept to his word, though, fucking Noctis against the wall, on the floor, on the dining room table, on the coffee table, on the couch, a few more times in the bathtub… They had basically christened the entire apartment. The one way the blonde hadn’t fucked his omega, though, was from behind. He didn’t like the idea of making Noctis do that, because he knew that was a _very_ vulnerable position for omegas. And obviously, he would never do that to his lover. Unless the raven asked him to, of course. After all, he wouldn’t deny Noctis anything.

Prompto was the first to wake, as usual, yawning widely as he held _his_ omega close to him. He smiled softly as he nuzzled Noctis’s soft, ebony locks, inhaling the lingering scent of heat from him. He knew it wouldn’t be for a long time that Noctis would have another heat, if at all, but he hoped that his lover had no regrets about their choice. After all, in the eyes of the law, they couldn’t be split apart now. Not while the prince bore the blonde’s mate mark and was now pregnant with their child.

Humming contently as he cuddled the raven, he had no immediate reason to wake Noctis up…until his stomach growled, as did his lover’s, making Noctis whine pitifully.

“Good morning, Noct,” he chuckled, kissing his omega’s lips softly. “We need to eat, especially since you’re gonna be eating for two here soon enough.”

“…mmm…too early…” Noctis whined softly (as usual).

“What can I do to get my omega up?” Prompto purred, kissing his forehead.

“…Nothing… Wanna sleep…”

“Noct, you’re gonna starve yourself if you don’t eat… Unless you want breakfast in bed?”

“…mm…that’d be nice…”

“Anything for my omega,” the blonde murmured, lightly squeezing him closer with a soft kiss to his lips before letting go to get out of bed. Noctis hummed sleepily as he pulled the blankets firmly around himself. He could barely feel his legs, but really, that was fine. While he’d definitely been apprehensive of his heat hitting him before it had, he couldn’t complain with the results.

He knew that people would not approve of his choice, and there was a good chance the war would flare up in full, now. But if it meant him staying with Prompto…he was willing to take the risk.

Prompto wasn’t too long, returning with two plates of pancakes, and a big glass of water for Noctis. He chuckled at the sight of his lover wrapped up in the blankets, before saying, “Noct, I brought you breakfast.”

“…mmm?” Noctis hummed as he peeked out from under the blankets.

“Already making a nest out of the blankets, huh?” his alpha teased lightly. “Come on, I made pancakes.” Groaning, the prince slowly sat up, yawning widely, rubbing at his eyes. “There we go.” Prompto sat down with the plates after setting the water glass on Noctis’s bedside table, kissing him briefly before handing him his plate.

“You gotta start eating for two now,” he reminded the raven with a warm smile.

“Yeah, yeah…” Noctis grumbled, keeping the blankets around his shoulders like some sort of shield against the outside world. Once he was settled, he began to lazily eat his pancakes.

“…Noct?”

“…mm?”

“I’m really glad you didn’t wait on dropping your suppressant. I…I’m looking forward to our future together even more now,” the blonde murmured. “I’m glad you trusted me enough to let me have you in heat.”

“…” This made Noctis pause briefly with a piece of pancake halfway to his mouth. However, after a moment, he smiled and moved over, kissing Prompto without a word of warning. “You’re welcome…” he whispered softly. Prompto blinked in surprise at the sudden kiss, before smiling softly at Noctis, before it fell.

“We’ll have to tell your dad as soon as we can, though…” he sighed. “Hopefully he’ll be okay with it…”

“…yeah…” Noctis sighed heavily. “Here’s hoping…”

The alpha nodded slightly, before resuming eating. Once he finished, he asked with a small, cheeky smirk, “Think you can walk now? Or did I fuck you that good that you still need some time to recover?”

Noctis looked at him dryly, before he poked the blonde’s forehead. “I’ll be _fine_ ,” he said simply.

“Hey, can’t blame me for asking,” Prompto laughed. “You couldn’t even stand during the second day.”

“Mmm…just gimme a few moments to get feeling back in them.”

“Sure thing,” the blonde chuckled. “…Think you’ll ever want to have another heat?”

“…maybe… I dunno… We’ll see…”

“You gotta admit it was pretty nice,” Prompto smirked.

“…Pervert.”

“Hey, you’re a sexy beast, so I can’t be blamed for that!”

“Oh, shush you.”

“It’s true! You don’t believe me?”

Noctis merely rolled his eyes—right before he shoved a piece of pancake in the blonde’s mouth. “I said shush.” Prompto was quick to chew and swallow.

“I’ll just have to prove it to you sometime, then,” he quipped with a cheeky grin. The prince didn’t respond; he just continued eating quietly. “…Love you, Noct.”

“…” Noctis briefly looked up, before he chuckled. “Love you, too…”

“We’ll take separate showers this time, and then you’ll have to call Ignis for a ride. Just make sure to cover my mark for now until we see your dad,” the alpha said as he finished his pancakes.

“Yeah…might be smart…” Noctis murmured with a nod as he headed for the bathroom.

“Just make sure to wash up good. We reek of sex right now. Not that I’m complaining, but that won’t exactly be good at the Citadel,” Prompto advised with a small smirk.

“And whose fault is that?” Noctis chuckled as he closed the door behind him.

“It takes two to tango, smartass,” the blonde snorted.

While Noctis was normally pretty quick when it came to washing up, it took him almost half an hour to do so now, likely in an attempt to wash away the scent of sex without making it seem too obvious he was trying to do so. As he stepped out of the bathroom, he took one whiff of the air and cringed. “We might have to do something about the smell around the apartment, too.”

“Yeah, yeah…” Prompto sighed, getting out of bed to shower now. “I’ll be out in a bit. Might as well start, and I’ll be out to help soon.”

“Right…” the prince said with a nod as Prompto headed into the bathroom. Once he was in, he cracked his knuckles briefly. “Let’s get started…”

As the alpha washed himself, he had to admit he already missed having Noctis in heat. Then again, he knew his lover wouldn’t be able to keep from wanting sex at all during his pregnancy, and Prompto would be there every time. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, though. Noctis was perfect for him, in heat or not. Finally, he finished washing himself thoroughly enough, and as he stepped out, wrapping his towel around him, he idly wondered if the amount of times they’d had sex would affect the pregnancy at all. Hopefully nothing bad if so.

He soon came out of the bathroom, only wearing a clean pair of boxer briefs, but Noctis wasn’t in the bedroom. “Noct?” he called out.

“Living room!” Noctis called out almost immediately. Prompto soon headed out there, and saw his omega spraying some air freshener around the room, making him chuckle.

“At least you’re being thorough,” he chuckled.

“Just shut up and help me, will you?” Noctis sighed out.

“I’m going, I’m going,” his alpha laughed softly. “I’m honestly not sure if the bed should be disinfected or burned, though.”

“Iggy’s gonna start asking questions if we burn it…so we better not.”

“True. Just thinking about the amount of cum and sweat in it, though…” Prompto nearly cringed at the words. “I’ll start washing the bedding for now.”

“You do that…” Noctis chuckled.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

Once they were done, and the bedding was washed and dried, it was late, almost dusk. Prompto was cuddling Noctis by spooning him on their by-now cleaned bed, holding him close as they listened to more than watched the TV. But at this point, it was mainly just background noise.

“…I missed this,” the blonde murmured as he kissed the back of Noctis’s neck softly.

“Hmm…?” Noctis hummed softly. “…how so?”

“As much as I loved fucking you into oblivion, I missed being able to just cuddle you,” his alpha explained. Noctis chuckled softly, but he said nothing else on the matter. “…At least I had enough sense to not leave hickies where they’ll be easily seen. I think I only left one on your inner thigh when I rimmed you a second time.”

That actually made the prince flinch briefly, before the raven reached back and smacked Prompto’s thigh. “Shut up, you…”

“Am I making my omega blush?” Prompto laughed.

“You wish…”

“Then how come your neck is turning red?”

That earned him a pinch to his thigh.

“Hey!” the blonde yelped, before growling softly with a smirk. “Now you’re gonna get it…” He then turned Noctis into facing him, before kissing him deeply. Though Noctis yelped briefly in surprise, he quickly moved into the kiss, chuckling a little as he pulled Prompto up closer. Prompto gave a soft groan at the raven’s acceptance, but even so, he wondered just how far he could go with his lover. Unable to help himself, he rolled his hips against Noctis’s slightly.

Briefly tensing, Noctis pulled out from the kiss. “Seriously, Prom?” he gasped out. “We just finished airing out the bed…”

“Doesn’t mean we can’t do something…” his alpha pouted a little breathlessly.

Rolling his eyes, Noctis pressed another kiss to his alpha’s lips. “As fun as that would be… we shouldn’t take this _too_ far…for now…”

“Oooh, so you mean something later, then? All right, I can wait,” Prompto smirked, before asking, “Can I at least suck you off? It won’t be messy…”

“…” Noctis chuckled softly. “Fine.”

“Thank you,” the blonde smiled, kissing him again before reaching down to palm at the raven’s crotch and get him hard. This made Noctis gasp softly, before he moaned heavily into the blonde’s mouth. Prompto groaned at the sound, before deepening the kiss as he rubbed at his omega’s cloth-covered cock, quickly bringing him to full hardness.

“Someone’s eager already,” he teased softly when he pulled back, before moving down to Noctis’s crotch and pulling down his pajama pants and underwear. Licking his lips briefly, he glanced up at his lover…before taking him into his mouth. Noctis cried out in pleasure, immediately burying his hands in the blonde’s hair, curling his back up instinctively.

Prompto smirked slightly around the flesh in his mouth, before he began to swirl his tongue around it, dragging the slick muscle along the underside.

“A-ah…! Pro…Prompto…!!” the omega whined softly. As the alpha began to bob his head, however, he soon paused when he smelled something familiar: slick. This made Noctis flinch briefly, before he whimpered as the liquid began to trickle out from his ass. Prompto’s eyes gleamed with something lustful, before he reached one hand down and beneath Noctis, sliding two fingers into his ass as he resumed bobbing his head with a moan.

“Aaaah!! F-fuck…!” the omega wailed, before he bit his lip sharply. Immediately, the blonde pulled back with a soft snarl.

“Don’t. I want to hear you,” he told him firmly, arching his fingers up.

“AAAH!! Pro-Prom…!”

“Good boy,” Prompto smirked, before taking the prince’s cock into his mouth again, deep-throating him with a groan while striking that bundle of nerves with his fingers.

“Aaaaah!! Pr-Prom…! I-I can’t…I… aaaaah!!”

His alpha merely sucked harshly while scissoring his fingers, wanting to make Noctis cum. Which didn’t take long at all, as the prince let out a lout wail as his release hit him and washed down the blonde’s throat. Prompto swallowed it all without hesitation, before removing his fingers and pulling away. He gently fixed his omega’s pants and underwear, and then moved back up to lie down with him, holding him close while running his fingers through those soft ebony locks.

Noctis was breathing heavily as he slowly began to come down from his high. When he did, though, he frowned. “…wha ‘bout you?”

“Only if you wanna. I’ll be fine otherwise,” the blonde assured him with a soft smile. Frowning a little, Noctis reached over and pushed the blonde on his back, placing a kiss to his lips firmly. Prompto kissed back lovingly, but hissed in a breath when the raven’s knee brushed against his crotch. This made Noctis smirk, before he reached down and pressed his hand against the blonde’s cock.

“Ahh…!” his alpha groaned, bucking his hips up into the touch. With a small chuckle, Noctis tugged Prompto’s pants away swiftly, ducking down quickly. Immediately, Prompto gave a loud cry of the prince’s name, his hands burying themselves in his omega’s ebony locks, his breaths coming out in huffs. Noctis purred heavily in response, beginning to bob his head swiftly while sucking loudly and slurping lewdly.

The blonde felt so overly sensitive, and with how hard he’d been after pleasuring Noctis, added to how his lover was returning the favor, he didn’t last long, clenching up briefly before he came with a loud, pleasured shout of Noctis’s name. Choking on the blonde’s cum, Noctis had no choice but to back up, crying out as the white-hot seed hit his face.

“Gah…” Prompto gasped, before sitting up and wiping his omega’s face from his cum. “Every damn time… Sorry…” he apologized breathlessly.

“It’s fine, don’t worry so much…” Noctis chuckled.

“Still, I feel bad when I cum on your face,” his alpha sighed.

“You worry too much,” the omega purred, kissing the blonde softly.

“You can’t blame me for that,” Prompto murmured with a small smile as they parted. “After all, it’s my job as your alpha to care for you. And I want to do things right.”

“Take it easy on that…” Noctis murmured, kissing him again. “It’s fine… _You’re_ fine…”

“All right. Just expect me to spoil you rotten during your pregnancy, and even after that,” his alpha smiled warmly.

This made Noctis roll his eyes before he booped the blonde on the nose. “Just go to sleep… We need to see my dad tomorrow…”

“I know,” Prompto sighed, before spooning Noctis again as they settled down to sleep. “Goodnight, Noct… I love you…”

“Hmm… G’night… Love you, too…”

Soon after, the couple fell asleep, content smiles on both their faces.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

The next morning, the blonde woke up first, and he snuggled Noctis closer to himself, kissing the back of his neck softly.

“Good morning, Noct,” he murmured, his breath ghosting over the raven’s ear.

“…mmm… Morning already?” Noctis groaned as he slowly blinked his eyes open.

“Unfortunately, love. And we need to see your dad today, too…” Prompto sighed. He was a bit nervous, but in all aspects, their relationship was set in stone now, and nothing could be done to break them apart.

“…right…” Noctis sighed out, lazily pushing up. The alpha sat up as well, kissing Noctis’s cheek before sliding out of bed to get dressed. Once they were both dressed, Noctis picked up his phone and rang up Ignis.

“ _Noct? Are you okay?_ ” Ignis asked. It was obvious he was concerned, especially after how short the prince was with him earlier in the week.

“Yes, I’m fine,” Noctis said calmly. “Hey, listen, can you pick us up? I need to speak to Dad for a minute.”

“ _Of course. I’ll be there in 15 minutes,_ ” the beta replied, before hanging up.

After putting his phone away, Noctis turned to Prompto. “He’ll be here in 15,” he said simply.

“All right,” Prompto nodded. Looking his omega over, he was relieved that the mate mark was hidden by the shirt Noctis was wearing, and would stay hidden until they showed Regis. Noctis hummed softly as he plopped down on the couch to wait. The blonde did the same, pulling Noctis to him and tucking him into his side. Fifteen minutes ticked by, and soon enough, they heard the Regalia’s engine from the parking lot.

“Moment of truth…” Prompto sighed, kissing the top of his lover’s head before letting him go and getting up.

“Yep…” Noctis murmured, getting up as well before leading the way to the parking lot. When they got into the car, Ignis could tell something was up, but he wasn’t about to ask. He had a strong feeling that it was something very serious, though. Prompto held Noctis’s hand between them as Ignis drove, his nerves spiking when the gates to the Citadel closed behind them. Once they were dropped off at the entrance, the alpha was pleasantly surprised when his omega linked their fingers together again as they went inside.

However, Noctis refused to say anything about it, as he merely squeezed his hand briefly as they walked through the entrance, completely ignoring the brief looks that the guards shot them. They made their way to Regis’s study, where the King was sitting at his desk, looking over some documents. A soft knock by Noctis on the slightly open door had him looking up, and he smiled kindly at his son and Prompto.

“Hello, you two. This is a nice surprise. What brings you here?” he inquired.

“Hey Dad… Can we…talk for a minute?” Noctis asked softly.

“Hm? Of course, my son. Is something wrong?”

Instead of responding immediately, Noctis stepped into the room, pulling Prompto inside with him, closing the door behind them. However, once he had, the prince bit down on his lip, subconsciously gripping Prompto’s hand tightly. Prompto smoothed his thumb over the back of Noctis’s hand, silently reassuring him he was with him the whole way.

After a moment of collecting his thoughts, Noctis finally spoke. “It’s…not something… wrong, per se…”

“Then what do you need to talk about? There’s clearly something going on,” Regis replied.

“…Just…I…I can’t marry Luna…”

“And why is that…?”

“Because…” Noctis started, but he couldn’t finish the sentence; his voice just wouldn’t work with him.

Noticing this, Prompto asked softly, “Do you want me to explain?”

“…” Noctis nodded softly, unable to lift his gaze to meet his father’s. Prompto then let go of Noctis’s hand, holding him close to himself before moving his hand to pull aside the fabric of the raven’s shirt, revealing Prompto’s mate mark on him.

“…!” Regis’s eyes widened, and he knew immediately what this meant. “Noctis, look at me.”

“…” Slowly, Noctis raised his gaze, peeking out from under his bangs.

“You really had your heat…?” his father asked. It was clear he was more worried about his son than anything.

“…” Again, Noctis couldn’t say a word; he just slowly nodded his head. Regis got up from his desk, going over to the couple and placing a soothing hand on Noctis’s shoulder.

“I’m truly happy you’re bonded with someone who will take good care of you, Noctis,” he smiled kindly. “I just wish you had done so here for your safety.”

Prompto bit back the reply that he took good care of his omega, instead kissing Noctis’s cheek reassuringly.

“…” He tried to speak again, but, again, his voice refused to work. All he could do was mouth “Sorry…”

“It’s all right, my boy. I’ll deny the peace treaty, but I want you to move back here for your protection throughout your pregnancy. Prompto is going to live here with you as well,” the King soothed. “What matters to me is my son’s happiness. That has always mattered to me.”

“…” The omega blinked slowly, before he smiled in relief, nodding softly. Prompto smiled as well, lightly and briefly squeezing Noctis against him.

“Go and rest, you two. This won’t be easy, but we’ll all pull through it,” Regis told them, patting the raven’s shoulder lightly before withdrawing his hand. “I’ll arrange for Ignis and Gladiolus to bring all of your things here so you won’t have to leave, Prompto.”

“Thank you, Regis,” the blonde smiled gratefully. Kissing Noctis’s cheek again, he murmured, “Let’s go, Noct.” Noctis nodded softly, heading out of the room with Prompto, smiling in relief. When they got to Noctis’s, and what would soon be their shared bedroom, Prompto held Noctis close on the bed, nuzzling his neck. “You lost your voice again, huh?” he asked worriedly as he held him.

“…” Noctis tried to speak, but, as expected, only a small choked sound managed to get out.

“Ssshhh…” his alpha shushed him softly. “Just rest. No talking. Resting your voice should help.” Nodding softly, Noctis sighed softly, letting Prompto pull him close and settling there quietly. The blonde smiled at that, kissing his neck softly before settling down. “Let’s just sleep for now, okay?”

“…” Noctis nodded quietly, resting his head on Prompto’s chest. Prompto gently ran his fingers through his lover’s ebony hair, his rumble sounding softly as he dozed off.

“Love you…” he breathed before falling asleep.

Noctis hummed a little, nodding his head. And while he couldn’t speak, the motion of his lips said enough. “Love you, too…”


	15. Chapter 15

X*X(1 Month Later)X*X

Time passed by fairly fast after Prompto and Noctis had come clean to Regis about the raven’s heat. By the time a month had passed, all of the things they’d kept at the apartment had been moved over to the Citadel, and everyone who had known Noctis to be an omega were aware that they had been bonded and, thus, engaged. Not everyone took it as well, but there really wasn’t anything they could do about it, even if they didn’t agree to the prince’s choice.

The news still hadn’t been broken to the public, but it was only a matter of time before that happened. And it was something that Noctis was definitely not looking forward to, even though he knew it would be for the best. The only thing that he was even more worried about was the effects this would have on the war.

Still, he tried to not let it get to him for long…mostly because Prompto wouldn’t let him. Hell, he wasn’t even allowed to worry about the upcoming ceremony to make their bond official in the eye of the law.

However, as the mated pair were resting in their room, only a few days away from the ceremony, Prompto spooning Noctis as he’d taken to doing more and more often, he perked up, a bit alarmed when his omega gasped.

“A-ah…! I…I didn’t tell Luna…!” the prince choked out.

“Geez, scare the hell out of me, why don’t ya?” his alpha sighed. “Then let’s give her a call and tell her the news.”

The omega pouted a bit, even as he reached over and grabbed his phone. “Sue me…” he mumbled as he dialed.

“It’s fine,” Prompto chuckled, kissing his neck while listening. However, after a moment, when the connection was established, it wasn’t Luna’s voice that answered.

“ _Yyyyyeeello~ Sorry! Lady Lunafreya’s a bit occupied right now. Can I take your message?_ ” a cheeky (definitely male) voice quipped out.

Startled, Noctis looked to Prompto in alarm. Said alpha shook his head, wordlessly telling him he didn’t know, either, but he looked confused as well.

“…who are you?” Noctis asked slowly.

“ _Hey now; no need to get all defensive with me, Highness,_ ” the voice chuckled. “ _Don’t worry; Lu’s perfectly fine. Just otherwise occupied, ‘s all._ ”

“Occupied how?” Prompto frowned.

“ _Ooh nothing special, buddy; she just needs a bit of time to chill._ ”

This only served to increase Noctis’s worry all the more. “I swear, if you’ve hurt her—”

“ _Dude, that **hurts** … Why’d I ever want to hurt a lady, hm?_”

Those words, though, made Noctis blink in surprise.

“Wait a sec… You’re Zidane, aren’t you?” Prompto guessed, remembering Niche’s words from the Christmas Eve party when he’d met Luna.

“ _Ooh, someone’s well informed. Yep! That’s me!_ ”

Noctis sighed softly in relief. “I see… So, I’m guessing you had something to do with her needing rest?”

“ _Maaaaaybe~_ ”

“Cheeky shit, huh Noct?” Prompto snorted. Suddenly, Luna’s tired voice sounded on the other end of the line.

“ _Zidane…? Who are you talking to…?_ ” she asked.

“ _Ah, sorry, Lu. Your ol’ buddy was calling ya._ ”

“ _Buddy…? Oh! Noctis! Give me my phone, Zidane, please!_ ”

“ _Sure. Here ya go._ ”

After a muffled shuffling sound, Luna spoke again. “ _Noctis! How are you doing? Is everything okay?_ ”

“Hey, Luna… Yeah, we’re okay… What about you?”

“ _I’m just fine, but this isn’t about me. Did you follow through on my advice?_ ”

Noctis glanced at Prompto momentarily, before he smiled. “Well…yeah. Yeah, I did.”

“ _Oh, good! I take it you’re both at the Citadel by now, huh?_ ”

“Sure are,” Prompto chuckled.

“ _Prompto! You were good to him, right?_ ”

“Of course! I treated him like a treasure.”

Luna giggled at the words. “ _I’m glad to hear it. So, when is the wedding? And is there a due date yet?_ ”

“Luna, calm down,” Noctis chuckled out. “We’re…not having a full-on wedding, sorry. It’s mostly just going to be a simple ceremony to make it official…”

“ _That’s okay. As long as you two will be together, I’m happy for you both,_ ” the older alpha smiled. “ _But really, do you know when the baby’s due?_ ”

“Should be…about eight months, I think…” Noctis murmured.

“Wait Noct, your heat was a month ago. So the baby’s gonna be due in seven months by now,” Prompto corrected.

“ _You took my advice the morning we spoke, hm?_ ” Luna giggled. “ _I’m so happy for you both! Well, please keep me updated, as I’d love to come down to Insomnia and see the baby after it’s born._ ”

“Right, of course… If we’re not full out trapped in war…” Noctis murmured.

“ _Don’t be pessimistic, Noctis. I’m certain things will mellow out in seven months,_ ” Luna assured him.

“I hope so…” Noctis murmured. “…If I may ask, though; where _are_ you? I don’t recognize the sounds in the background…”

“ _We’re in Prontera, heading to Morroc. Zidane…stole me away for a bit_ ,” Luna laughed lightly.

“Damn, he IS good. Niche wasn’t joking,” Prompto chuckled.

“ _I try,_ ” Zidane chuckled on the other side.

“Damn…” Noctis said softly with a smirk. “How’d you do that without Ravus spotting you?”

“ _With a lot of skill!_ ”

“Apparently so,” Prompto snorted. “Maybe you should sneak her to Insomnia so she can visit and we can finally meet you.”

“ _Maybe once the war’s all over with, sure_ ,” Zidane quipped with a chuckle.

“Good point,” Prompto sighed.

“ _Well, I’ll let you boys go, but take care of each other and yourselves, okay?_ ” Luna said firmly.

“We will, Luna. You two take care as well,” Noctis said with a chuckle.

“ _Oh, don’t worry, we’ll be hunky-dory!_ ” the thief laughed out.

“ _We’ll be fine, Noctis_ ,” Luna giggled. “ _Talk to you soon~_ ”

And with that, the call was ended. Prompto hummed as he plucked Noctis’s phone from his hands and put it on the nightstand.

“Now, no more distractions. I want you to rest and relax with me, or I’ll make you,” he smirked.

“Hey!” Noctis called out, trying to get his phone back.

“Noct… You need to relax. Your phone’s not gonna waltz off on its own, ya know,” his alpha chuckled. “Now rest with me, or I’ll make you.”

Noctis pouted, but he did settle down on the bed. He did, however, mumble, “Jerk…”

“You know you love me, though,” Prompto smirked, which had the prince snorting before he pointedly turned around to face away from Prompto. “Bad idea, love~” the blonde purred, nipping at his ear. However, Noctis immediately swatted at him over his ear and huffed, pulling the blanket over his head.

“Don’t be so moody,” Prompto chided, holding him close. “I love you…”

This time, Noctis simply refused to speak. This made his alpha sigh heavily, but he still held his omega close to him, his forehead lightly pressed against his back. “I’m not leaving you alone, in case that’s what you want.”

“…Hm.”

Prompto was quiet, but he remained still as he held Noctis, not even caressing, rubbing, or anything. And for Noctis, it wasn’t exactly pleasant. He was used to the blonde always moving his hands on him.

This lasted for a few more minutes, before Noctis sighed softly. He knew he’d been acting too fussy just then, but he couldn’t help it; he was barely a month in and already the damn hormones were kicking him in the shin, _hard_. And it was not acceptable to take out his frustrations with that on Prompto…especially when he was just trying to love him properly.

“…sorry…”

“…It’s okay… I know it’s the hormones…” his alpha muttered.

“…‘s still no excuse…” the omega mumbled.

“Just let me love you, and we’ll be fine, okay?” Prompto murmured, pulling the blanket from over Noctis’s head to kiss the back of his neck softly.

“…kay…”

“I love you, Noct,” the blonde smiled softly, nuzzling the raven’s neck.

“Mm…love you, too…” Noctis murmured lazily.

“Let’s get some sleep. We’re going to need it for when the baby is born,” Prompto said softly, lightly running his fingers over his lover’s barely swollen stomach.

Groaning softly, the prince lightly slapped the blonde’s hands. “Prom…we need to deal with the ceremony, first…”

“All right, I’ll be good…until after the ceremony, that is,” his alpha chuckled, settling down and simply holding Noctis.

“…jerk…” Noctis mumbled with a soft chuckle, as he settled down as well.

“And yet you wouldn’t be with me if you really believed that,” Prompto pointed out, before closing his eyes with a pleasant hum. Noctis merely smiled softly, resting a hand on Prompto’s as he shut his eyes and slowly fell asleep.

 

X*X(Ceremony Day)X*X

The morning of the ceremony, Prompto was snuggling Noctis close to him, occasionally sighing contently. He didn’t want to wake up, but unfortunately, the world had other ideas, as there was a sudden knock on their bedroom door. Noctis groaned heavily at the sound, and proceeded to curl up even further into the bed. Prompto grumbled as well, before calling out, “Who is it?”

“Do pardon the intrusion, but Sir Ignis requested me to pick up Prince Noctis,” a calm, casual voice said from the other side.

Noctis groaned. “Ugh… That’s Kuja…” he sighed softly.

“We’d better get up, then, Noct…” Prompto sighed as well, sitting up after kissing Noctis’s neck.

“Ugh… Fiiiine…” the prince groaned as he pushed up. “Can you get the door?”

“Sure thing,” his alpha nodded, getting out of bed and going to the door, opening it, upon which he proceeded to stare.

Because standing on the other side was a man with long, silvery hair that hung down his back, with dark purple eyes surrounded by red eyeshadow, long, painted nails, and an almost unnaturally slim build (for a man at least). On top of that, the clothes he was wearing seemed more fit for a woman than a man, with how much the white material showed off along his torso. He was definitely someone Prompto had never met before.

After a moment of watching him, with the man’s arm placed around his waist and his other hand pressed to the side of his face to rest the forefinger along his temple, the man smirked cheekily. “It’s rude to stare, dear,” he pointed out.

“Ah, sorry…” Prompto apologized, looking away. “You’re here to get Noct, then?”

“Correct,” the man chuckled, before he took a moment to look Prompto up and down. “Hmm…I have to say; I fail to see what the others have been making such a fuss over.”

This drew a low growl from the blonde, already disliking this guy.

“Down, tiger,” the man—Kuja, was it?—said as he easily slipped past the blonde into the room. “I’m merely saying I don’t understand everyone else making such a problem of His Highness mating with one of your caliber.”

“So you don’t mind me, then?” Prompto asked slowly.

“Should I?” Kuja asked, turning to Prompto with a small smirk. “Have you done something to the prince I should be worried about?”

“No, of course not! Just everyone else seems to have a problem with me being his alpha,” the blonde sighed.

“Hmmm…” Kuja regarded him for a moment longer, before he turned his attention the bedroom door as Noctis came out, yawning. “Morning, Prince Noctis~” he chirped, chuckling as Noctis yawned.

“Morning… Ugh… Why so early, Kuja?”

“I’m afraid I don’t make the rules, Sire; I just follow them,” said the taller man with what sounded like a giggle. Prompto smiled as he hugged Noctis briefly.

“It’ll be okay, Noct. At least it’s a small ceremony,” he said.

“Yeah, I know…” Noctis grumbled.

Kuja didn't seem to mind the gesture, since he just watched and waited for them to finish.

Noticing how Kuja was waiting, Prompto sighed a little. “Well, you’d best get going with Kuja. The sooner we can get this done, the better, huh?”

“…Right,” Noctis sighed, nodding his head before he briefly kissed Prompto. The alpha blinked, pleasantly surprised, before giving a pleased hum as Noctis and Kuja left.

 

X*X(Noctis & Kuja)X*X

As the door closed behind them, Noctis put his hands in his pockets as he walked, to try and mask the fact that they were shaking almost endlessly. He knew it wouldn’t be a long ceremony, and the only ones attending would be those close to the Line of Lucis, the council and the Kingsglaive, the latter of which were only there for the pair’s protection, but he couldn’t help but be nervous regardless. Even though it was already as good as settled that he and Prompto couldn’t be separated, that didn’t mean someone couldn’t jump in and prevent the official ceremony.

“You’re thinking too loudly again, Sire,” Kuja said teasingly with a chuckle, startling the prince.

“Sorry…” he murmured with a sigh.

The older man had always seemed to know exactly when the prince was worrying too much. Even though they had never interacted much before, the few times they had, had been pleasant enough. Mainly because the silverette was, just like Noctis, an omega that had spent most of his life in hiding, despite not caring about the way he dressed.

“There’s no need to be so worried, Noct,” Kuja said suddenly, sounding more serious than Noctis had ever heard him. “The only ones who may be against this are our dear Hyung and a few old-timey members of the council. And, last I checked, they have no say in this matter, do they?”

“Ah… no. No, they don’t…” Noctis murmured. “But…”

“Nuh-uh-uh,” Kuja quipped, tapping the prince’s lips to silence him. “No buts. We have other things to worry about,” he quipped, just before they stepped into the room. “Now… I assume your mate has no idea what we’ve been working on, hm?”

“No,” Noctis confirmed as he followed him inside, shutting the door behind himself. While it wasn’t required, most couples still held the belief that it was not permitted for the one of the couple to see the other’s wedding attire. And given how much Prompto had been clinging to Noct, it had been pretty difficult to get his own attire set up. Thankfully, Kuja had managed to arrange it with him in between his duties at the Citadel. “So, you’ve… made the adjustments, right?”

“Naturally~”

Almost casually, Kuja flipped open the closet and pulled out a gorgeous dark suit. Noctis smiled softly, allowing Kuja to help him get into the suit. It was pitch-black, as he had expected from the first moment, adorned with silver and gold adornments. The shirt was black with a golden collar, while the ankle-length jacket, secured by only two buttons along his stomach to show off the dark gray tie, had dark gray lines running down along it, the emblem of the Line of Lucis sewn along the back, the cuffs made of pure silver and styled like the Ring of Lucis, his pants dark gray with the traditional golden knee-guard secured around his left knee, while his black dress shoes clicked as he tapped them along the floor.

“Hmhmm… it’s not too tight anywhere, is it?” Kuja asked calmly as he tugged the jacket into its proper spot.

“No, it’s fine,” Noctis assured, letting Kuja adjust his jacket’s high collar to frame his face. “…do you think he’ll like it?”

“Pretty sure he will,” Kuja said calmly as he patted down the prince’s hair. “As similar as it is to your raiment, it’s still new enough to drop some jaws… primarily your mate’s, of course.”

Noctis smiled softly. “Thanks, Kuja…”

“You’re welcome, Sire~” the Warlock chuckled. “Now… let’s do something about those bags, shall we?”

“Wait what bags?”

“The ones under your eyes, of course,” Kuja chuckled, as he tugged Noctis off to the vanity table on the other side of the room. “I’m betting you haven’t slept well because of the nerves, hm?”

“…that obvious?” Noctis sighed out as he let Kuja set him down on the seat while pinning his bangs back.

“If you know where to look…” the silverette said calmly, as he picked up the small sponge and dabbed it along the underside of the prince’s eyes to mask the dark bags he’d pointed out earlier. “You really should calm down, though… Just because you hold a position of power doesn’t make you any less a person, after all.”

“I know… just… there’s just so many people watching…” Noctis sighed.

“Perhaps… but you shouldn’t let it bother you…” Finished with the bags, Kuja hummed. “You know… perhaps we should add some shade here…” he said, tapping along the top of the prince’s eyes. “Make them stand out a little more.”

“…You’re the one with experience,” Noctis pointed out. “Knock yourself out… just… don’t make me look weird, kay?”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Kuja chuckled as he set the sponge away and picked up a pencil. “Close your eyes.”

Noctis did, letting Kuja lift his head by his chin before he began to draw along the top of his eyelids. And while he did, the taller omega was humming softly, some sort of pop song that Noctis had heard before on the radio. Even when Kuja was done with his eyes, though, he kept them shut. Which turned out to be the right idea as Kuja began to move a little along his eyebrows with the pencil. Then, when he was done with that, he moved back again, before coming back with a hand to the prince’s chin, and moving a cold, wet brush along his lips, making him shiver a little. And then, finally, with that done, he patted along the prince’s cheeks with a small cushion.

“There we go~”

Blinking, Noctis almost didn’t dare, but he looked to the mirror anyway. And immediately gasped in surprise.

Kuja certainly hadn’t been kidding when saying that an extra layer of shade would make his eyes stand out, as the dark color made the blue of his eyes a lot more prominent. His eyebrows were also a little more defined now, thanks to the pencil lining, which didn’t look as bad as he’d expected them to. He didn’t notice any immediate difference with his lips, until he looked closely and saw that they seemed a little less chafed than before, and there seemed to be a bit of glitter there, too. The rest of his face merely seemed to have been given a little more color, so that he didn’t look as pale as he always felt he did.

“…wow…”

Kuja merely chuckled at the one-word response as Noctis moved his fingers along his skin. “I’ll take that as a compliment~” he said with a smirk, making the prince chuckle as well.

“Thanks, Kuja…” he said sincerely.

“Quite welcome, Noct~” Kuja chuckled. “Now… we still have a bit until the ceremony starts… do you need me to get you anything to nibble on?”

“Ah… no thanks. I might just throw it back up in my nerves.”

“Good point. Let’s wait with that, then… assuming your mate can hold off afterward~”

“ _Kuja!_ ” Noctis exclaimed, but Kuja merely laughed.

 

X*X(Prompto & Ignis)X*X

While Kuja was getting Noctis ready, Prompto was stuck with Ignis, getting ready on his end. While Ignis quietly worked on him, making last minute adjustments to his white and gold tuxedo, Prompto wondered how his omega was holding up.

And as if sensing this, Ignis chuckled. “Kuja is a good person at heart. He’s taking good care of Noct, Prompto.”

“Damn, what are you, a mind reader now, Ignis?” the blonde laughed humorlessly. “…Sorry, just can’t help but worry about him when he’s not with me…”

“It’s only natural between newly bonded mates,” the beta assured him. “I’m sure you’ll be a very protective and worried alpha for the entire pregnancy, as well as afterward, with your child.”

“I don’t mind any of that, but I just feel like I’m sometimes smothering him…” Prompto sighed.

“And I know for a fact that, although he may be annoyed by it at times, Noct truly appreciates the attention,” Ignis soothed as he straightened up. “Remember, you two bonded quite quickly when you became friends, and in the span of a mere week. And when he revealed the truth to you and let you court him, you willingly took it slow with him so as not to scare or hurt him. And for that, he’s grateful, as you and I both know.”

The alpha stared at Ignis, before smiling gratefully. “…Thanks, Ignis. I feel better now…”

“Of course. You’re the best alpha Noct could have ever asked for, and you’re both fortunate to have each other.”

“Yeah,” Prompto nodded, and the pair fell into silence as the sandy blonde finished his adjustments.

“You’re all set,” he told the blonde. “You’ll wait at the altar for him, as you know, and then once he’s joined you, the ceremony will begin.”

“Yes sir,” Prompto chuckled softly, following Ignis out and down to the ceremony room. When they arrived, Prompto took his spot at the altar, and it wasn’t too long later that Noctis arrived, escorted by Kuja. And when he did…the alpha’s jaw very nearly dropped to the floor in shock, and he barely managed to keep himself in check. As it was, his bright blue eyes widened almost comically as he watched _his_ omega walk over and join him.

When the omega silently nodded to Kuja, who bowed politely before taking his leave, Noctis turned to Prompto, quirking an eyebrow at him to ask what he was looking at. And though the smirk on his face was cheeky, there was a hint of a spark in his eyes that said he was more than a little nervous of what the alpha thought.

Prompto smiled warmly at his mate, mouthing to him, “Beautiful.” That seemed to ease his worries a bit, though he did briefly duck his head. His alpha chuckled softly, before the ceremony began. Fortunately, it didn’t take long, the couple making their vows to remain together and support each other always, and finally, Prompto was allowed to kiss Noctis, for the first time while not in the privacy of their own room or their apartment. Gently, the blonde cradled the prince’s face in his hands, before leaning in and kissing him lovingly.

Given the official nature of the ceremony, there was a limited amount of applause from those gathered there, even as Noctis pressed into the kiss as well, placing his hands on the blonde’s hips. As they moved apart, the prince reached out and took hold of Prompto’s hand, squeezing it gently. His alpha returned the gesture, giving him a soft smile, but his eyes held a certain pride in them that Noctis was finally and officially his in every way imaginable. Spotting this, Noctis smiled back at him, as they stepped down the steps. After the ceremony, the couple stopped to speak with Regis before they were to retire to their bedroom.

“I’m very happy for you two,” Regis smiled kindly.

“Thanks, Dad,” Noctis said with a small smile.

“Thank you, Regis,” Prompto nodded.

“My boy is growing up,” the King chuckled.

“Daaaad,” the prince mumbled, chuckling with a small smile of his own.

“I know, I know,” the older alpha laughed. “I know he’s in good hands with you, though, Prompto.”

“He is, Regis, don’t worry,” the blonde smiled warmly, tucking his mate into his side. Noctis snorted softly, letting the blonde do that. “Shall we go up, then?” Prompto asked.

However, before Noctis could answer, there was a sudden tug on the prince’s coat, making him look over. Standing by his feet, was a small boy, possibly 2 or 3 years old with fuzzy silvery hair and bright purple eyes, his small hands holding on to the prince’s coat, with one hand holding what looked like a present of some kind.

Smiling, Noctis dropped down to the boy’s level. “Hey, Joshua.”

“Hi Pwince Noctis!” the boy chirped merrily, before he lifted the present. “For yous! Pwesent!”

Still smiling warmly, Noctis took the small present from him. “Thank you, Joshua.”

Prompto chuckled softly, seeing how good his omega was with the little boy. He couldn’t wait until they had their own child.

Joshua giggled happily as Noctis ruffled his hair. As the prince stood up, the small boy merrily toddled off…toward Kuja, who crouched down to the boy’s level.

“Good job, Joshua,” the man said with a smile, kissing the boy on his forehead, before picking him up and standing back up again. As he did, though, Kuja looked over and smiled with a small, cheeky twinkle in his eyes, as he waved with one hand. Which made the boy in his arms look over with a smile and wave as well.

Noctis laughed softly and waved back at them both. Prompto did the same, before kissing his mate’s cheek briefly.

“Let’s go back to our room,” he murmured.

“Right,” Noctis said with a small nod, following after the alpha quietly. As they went, Prompto smirked slightly at his omega.

“You look really good, Noct. Don’t expect me to hold back,” he said softly.

Noctis almost tensed, before he snorted. “Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously. How am I supposed to hold back with this sexiness as my omega?” the blonde chuckled. The omega didn’t bother to respond to those words as they arrived at their shared room. “So, what’d little Joshua give you from Kuja?” Prompto asked once he’d shut the door and locked it.

“I’m not sure…” Noctis murmured as he looked at the present. “But…knowing Kuja…I can hazard a guess…”

“Something we can use, huh?” his alpha smirked.

“…” Sighing softly, Noctis passed the present to Prompto. “You open it.”

“Oh this should be good…” Prompto mumbled as he unwrapped it. His eyes widened when it was revealed to be a silver-colored vibrator. “Well, this will make things interesting,” he smirked.

“…hooo boy… Do I even _want_ to know…?” Noctis asked hesitantly.

“You’re gonna find out soon enough anyway~” the blonde purred, showing him. Noctis almost tensed, but he definitely took a small step back. “Don’t worry, Noct, it’ll feel good.”

“Um…I-I’m not so sure…”

“Do you trust me?”

“…yes…”

“Then trust me, I’ll make you feel really good. And if you don’t like it, I’ll stop.”

“…kay…”

Prompto smiled warmly at him, undoing his jacket before kissing him tenderly as he began to slide it off. “You look gorgeous, love.”

This made the prince flush, even though most of the color was drowned out by the powder along his face. However, he did duck his head down a little.

“Ah-ah-ah, no hiding that beautiful face of yours, Noct,” his alpha smirked, pulling his chin up and kissing him softly.

“Pr…Prom…” Noctis choked softly.

“Hm?”

Noctis tried to speak for a moment, before he just decided to screw it and grabbed the blonde by his face and pulled him in for a kiss. Prompto chuckled into the kiss, knowing his mate was getting needy, but he was completely ready to satisfy him. He slid his hands into the soft ebony locks, lightly massaging Noctis’s scalp as he kissed back eagerly, lapping at his lips. Purring heavily, the prince wrapped his arms around the blonde’s shoulders.

With his rumble sounding in his chest, Prompto pulled his omega close to him, sneakily sliding one hand down to his very lightly swollen stomach, smoothing his fingers along it sensually.

The moment he did that, Noctis gasped as he pulled back from the kiss to get enough air. “A-aah…!”

“Finally getting to touch you like again this feels so good,” the blonde smirked, his cock already beginning to harden. Pouting a little, Noctis moved in to kiss Prompto again, pressing his tongue into the blonde’s mouth. Prompto kissed back hotly, before sliding his hands down to Noctis’s ass, and then pulling him up.

Gasping softly as their cocks pressed together, Noctis immediately moved his legs around the blonde’s waist, grabbing onto his shoulders at the same time. Prompto chuckled into the kiss, and began to make his way to their bed, the vibrator in his jacket pocket. He laid Noctis down on their bed when he reached it, still kissing him as he began to rut against his mate. Noctis whined softly at the motion, arching up in response as his hands tugged on Prompto’s jacket.

The alpha was quick to pull the vibrator from his pocket, tossing it on the bed before shedding his own jacket, and then resuming grinding against his omega.

Breaking away from the kiss, Noctis whined softly. “Prom… _please_ … Stop… teeeaaasing…!”

“Does my omega want me to fuck him into oblivion?” Prompto purred, beginning to unbutton the raven’s shirt and undo his pants.

“Please!” Noctis whined pitifully, arching into the blonde’s hands.

“Anything for my mate,” the blonde smirked, his bright blue gaze darkening once Noctis was fully exposed to him, and he ran his fingers along the lightly swollen stomach. Which made Noctis gasp softly before the surge of pleasure coming from it had him moaning wantonly as he clawed at the bed sheets.

“Feels good, huh?” Prompto chuckled, pulling away to unbutton and undo his own shirt and pants. Rather than respond, Noctis bit down on his lip to stifle the whimper that threatened to escape him upon Prompto pulling back. Not that it didn’t come out anyway, but at least he managed to muffle it a bit. Though he didn’t give Prompto time to comment on it as he tried to help the blonde with his shirt. Sadly, with his trembling fingers, that wasn’t easy.

“I’ve got you, Noct,” his alpha murmured, soon removing his shirt and pants, and then pulling off his underwear, revealing his fully erect cock. “See what you do to me?”

Noctis actually moaned, licking his lips hungrily, before he reached up and abruptly pulled Prompto into a kiss. Prompto kissed back eagerly, reaching out and blindly grabbing the vibrator before clicking it on and running it along Noctis’s side, just along the margin of his stomach. This made Noctis jump in surprise with a small yelp, before it shifted into a deep moan.

The alpha chuckled lowly, moving the vibrator along his stomach, clicking it up a higher setting. This made Noctis break away from the kiss with a shout of pleasure, though he quickly covered his mouth with his hand to stifle the sound. Not that it did a lot of good, as the moans coming from his mouth were still perfectly audible.

“Don’t you hold back, Noct,” Prompto growled. “I want to hear you. I don’t care who else does.” And with that said, he increased the vibrator to the highest setting. This time, even with his hand covering his mouth, Noctis couldn’t stop the scream that escaped his mouth, while his back instinctively arched up to chase after the pleasurable vibrations.

“Good boy,” the blonde purred, running the vibrator along his stomach. Noctis continued to cry out as the blonde moved the toy across his stomach. He’d heard stories of an omega’s stomach becoming sensitive during pregnancies, but he never thought he’d be _this_ sensitive! It was almost like there was an electric current running along his skin from the point of contact all the way to his cock, followed by a smoldering heat that lit his whole body ablaze. Dimly, he was reminded of how it felt when magic was being siphoned through his body, but the thought was almost immediately dismissed when Prompto pressed the vibrator against his bellybutton, making him scream as his release hit him with such force that it almost _hurt_.

“There we go,” Prompto praised softly, leaning over and kissing Noctis. The prince whined pitifully as his body trembled softly, as he reached for Prompto’s hand with his own to try and move it.

“Feels good, huh?” the alpha teased softly as he pulled back, taking the toy off of Noctis’s stomach. Gasping loudly, Noctis blinked his eyes slowly, as the irises glowed a fierce violet hue from under his half-shut lids. After a few seconds of just blankly staring at Prompto, he finally tried to speak…but all that came out was a jumbled mess of syllables. Prompto laughed breathlessly, before he eased it against Noctis’s ass teasingly.

“A-ah…?” Noctis gasped softly, blinking as he tried to move his hand to Prompto’s.

“Nope, behave,” the blonde smirked…before easing it inside on the lowest setting. Fortunately, the raven had already started producing slick by now, so the toy slid inside easily.

Choking in surprise, Noctis almost arched up from the bed entirely. “Pra…Pro…!!”

“Good?” Prompto guessed, slowly rotating the vibrator inside of him. Noctis wasn’t even able to answer; his mouth just kept moving soundlessly, with only a few choked sounds managing to get out on occasion, while his hips canted upward into the toy. His alpha chuckled, before giving a wolfish grin as he clicked it up to medium, pushing it further in.

“Aaaaah!!” the prince howled, his eyes snapping wide open, his hands clawing at the blanket wildly.

“Oh that’s nothing, love,” Prompto told him, briefly adjusting his grip on the vibrator, right before nearly jamming it against Noctis’s prostate on high. That was all it took; the omega released a loud scream, as he once more released, and _hard_. The blonde chuckled as he withdrew the toy, turning it off and tossing it among their clothes on the floor. “You okay?” he asked with a smile as he kissed Noctis’s nose. Noctis barely managed a small nod, as he tried to get his breath back again.

“Do you still want me to fuck you?”

For a moment, Prompto was sure the prince wasn’t able to answer…but then he snapped up his arm and leg and coiled them around the blonde’s neck and lower back respectively, just before pulling him in and kissing him again. Prompto groaned heavily into his omega’s mouth, and then grinned when he pulled back, positioning himself at the raven’s entrance…before sliding in.

This made Noctis hiss briefly before it dissolved into a hungry moan. Curling his other arm around his neck as well, he mouthed, “Move…!”

“I’m gonna make love to you, Noct,” his alpha breathed, beginning to slowly and sensually thrust into Noctis, running his hands along the prince’s sides. His hands paused at the margins of Noctis’s stomach, rubbing his thumbs in small circles at the very edges.

“A-aaaah…!” Noctis gasped out, curling his arms around the blonde’s neck, clawing at his shoulders. Prompto smiled shakily through his own moans as he thrust deeply and slowly into his mate, trying to make this last. He then ducked his head down and began to suckle on Noctis’s mate mark. This tore a sharp gasp from the omega, as his mails dug into Prompto’s shoulders to the point where it was almost painful. The pleasure was mounting higher and higher, but Noctis bit his lip in an attempt to not cum as fast as he had before. He wanted this to last…at least for a bit longer!

However, that’s when the blonde whispered, “I love you Noct… _so_ much…” right as he struck Noctis’s prostate hard. And that was all it took for Noctis, a broken scream escaping his throat as his short nails pierced through the skin, drawing blood as his release washed over him, causing his body to tremble. Prompto choked on a cry as he came shortly after, thrusting in deep and releasing his white hot seed deep inside of Nocctis. He shuddered heavily as he held him close, breathing out repeatedly, “I love you…”

While Noctis had obviously heard the words, he wasn’t able to respond in kind, as he was still panting heavily to try and get his breath back, as his arms and legs flopped down bonelessly against the bed. His alpha continued to murmur the words, even as he rolled them onto their sides so he wasn’t lying on top of his omega and hurting him. Not the Noctis noticed this; he merely mewled softly as he rested his head against the blonde’s shoulder, pouring softly.

Prompto smiled softly at this, pulling Noctis close to himself and spooning him. He softly kissed the back of his omega’s pale neck, and then settled down with a hum. “I love you so much, Noct,” he whispered, a special kind of thrill in his tone. He was incredibly grateful to have Noctis as his mate now, in the eyes of the law.

“…mm…” Noctis’s eyebrows pinched together a little, even if his eyes didn’t open. However, after a moment more, he whispered, “…love…you…too…”

The blonde’s smile widened a bit, before tugging the blanket over them as they fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is interdimensional karma during their little "honeymoon" night!! XD  
> Here's why: http://archiveofourown.org/works/9296003/chapters/21068384


	16. Chapter 16

X*X(2 Months Later)X*X

Time passed; as it always did. And before they had even realized two whole months had passed them by since Prompto and Noctis’s mating ceremony, making it three months into the prince’s pregnancy. And although the Kingsglaive had initially had their doubts about Prompto’s involvement with the prince, especially Hyung, they had all (except Hyung, of course) gradually come to accept and approve of him as Noctis’s alpha. Vesper and Niche were actually the ones who had managed to convince the others that he was okay.

Not that they had needed to do much more, as most of the inhabitants of the Citadel had witnessed how gentle, kind, and caring the blonde was to the prince. In fact, he'd heard Kuja joke once that if anything were to threaten the raven (or their baby), Prompto would more than likely slaughter whoever was responsible.

And speaking of Kuja…his son, Joshua, was spending more and more time at the Citadel. Normally the small boy stayed with his mother in the city itself, so he could go to bed at reasonable hours and not be exhausted when going to school (well…kindergarten, really, but Joshua liked calling it “school”). In normal situations, either Kuja would then have the weekends off to go home, or his mother would drop the small boy off at the Citadel if the Warlock had things he needed to finish over the weekend. However, ever since the prince’s mating ceremony, the boy had been coming by almost every weekend to play with Noctis and Prompto. Added to that, the little boy was ecstatic about the baby, and was asking about it at every opportunity, much to the couple’s amusement.

Kuja didn’t seem to mind the prince and his alpha taking up all of his son’s time while he was there, and he would simply wave it off when asked about it. And then he would proceed to point out how this was good practice for the soon-to-be parents, and that he was glad that they could be of some help in this way.

And Astrals be damned if Noctis didn’t seem to thoroughly enjoy spoiling the little boy at any opportunity he could. They both knew it probably wasn’t a smart idea, lest people think they were trying to take over Kuja’s responsibilities, but Joshua merely seemed to consider them as “besties”, which the couple could live with easily. Plus; Joshua was just adorable in general.

Things started to get worrisome, however, when some of the Kingsglaive began to report hearing something on the streets that should never have been spoken off outside of the Citadel.; Noctis’s status as an omega. Somehow, word had gotten out that the prince was not only an omega, but also that he was already three months pregnant. There didn’t seem to have been any news about Noctis having been mated, which was one minor relief…as small as it was, given the circumstances.

The Kingsglaive had done what they could to curb the rumors running amok, but it was like trying to douse a forest fire with one teacup of water at a time; virtually impossible to contain. So they had instead begun to look into how it had even gotten out in the first place.

Thus far, no one had any idea who it could have possibly been, but the very fact that the news had somehow escaped the Citadel scared the hell out of Noctis. While he had (thus far) managed to hide his frazzled nerves from Joshua when he was over, when he was alone, he was an outright mess. And every single time Prompto would end up finding out last (somehow, as the prince didn’t want him to worry), after which he would stay by his poor omega’s side to comfort him with loving words and gestures. Which he definitely needed, since all the stress and panic he kept going through was absolutely _not_ good for the baby.

Sadly, it only seemed to be getting worse, and especially that particular morning, when Regis had spoken of making a statement to confirm the rumors. And that was when the _real_ panic hit for the prince. He hadn’t even let his father finish his reasoning for this (which had been meant to calm him), and had bolted from the table a few seconds after his father had barely started his explanation, looking like he was going to be sick.

“Noct…!” Prompto yelped, and ran after him, following his fearful scent to their bedroom.

And when he got there, he heard his mate throwing up in the bathroom. This in general wasn’t anything new; Noctis had been having some bad morning sickness a couple weeks back, even though it was delayed. However, with all the stress piling up over the last week, it actually seemed to have gotten worse.

Quietly, the blonde opened the bathroom door, calling out softly, “Noct…?”

Noctis was, by now, dry-heaving, and his back was shaking visibly, with his hands clutching the side of the seat to the point where the knuckles turned white. To make it all worse, though, the omega was choking on quiet sobs.

“Noct…” Prompto murmured sadly, going over to him. He kneeled by his mate’s side, gently wrapping his arm around Noctis’s shoulders comfortingly. Noctis didn’t respond; he merely gasped/sobbed against the toilet, unable to utter a word. The blonde gently rubbed his back, shushing him softly. “I’m here, Noct, you’re not alone…”

The prince whined softly, but he didn’t say anything.

“Come on, let’s get you to bed,” his alpha murmured, gently picking him up bridal-style and carrying him to their bed. He laid his omega down on the bed, before lying down with him, running his fingers through the soft ebony locks soothingly. “Do you want something to eat?”

“…” The omega didn’t say anything as he curled up against Prompto. However, given the tiny whimper that escaped him, the alpha knew exactly what it was Noctis wanted/needed.

“I’ll text Ignis, all right? I’m not gonna leave you,” Prompto said softly, kissing Noctis’s cheek before pulling out his phone. He was given Ignis’s phone number after their mating ceremony, and it had proved to be useful when the raven needed something to satisfy his cravings so Prompto didn’t have to leave his mate.

 

**Me: Ignis, can you possibly bring up a bowl of ice cream for Noct? He really needs it.**

**Ignis: I understand. I’ll be up shortly.**

**Me: Thanks.**

 

Once he’d gotten the confirmation, the blonde pocketed his phone again. “Ignis is gonna bring up some ice cream for you, Noct,” he told him.

“…thank you…” Noctis croaked out.

“Anytime,” Prompto smiled softly, holding his mate close. He lightly rested a hand on Noctis’s swollen belly as he held him close to himself, the raven’s head against his chest. “I love you…”

“…l…love you…” the prince murmured softly, pressing his ear against Prompto’s chest to listen to his heart, as he usually did when he was upset. Soon enough, there was a soft knock on the door, and Prompto called out to enter, knowing it was Ignis. The beta came into the room, and set the bowl on Noctis’s bedside table, giving the prince a small, sympathetic smile before leaving.

Prompto then kissed Noctis’s forehead softly, before murmuring kindly, “Come on, let’s get you some ice cream, Noct.”

Noctis didn’t say anything, but he let Prompto help him up into a sitting position so he could eat his ice cream. This time, Prompto shifted so he was sitting behind his mate, his legs on either side of him as he rested his hands on Noctis’s stomach. He waited until his omega had eaten about a fourth of the dish of ice cream before asking gently, “A bit better?”

“…no…” Noctis admitted with a small whimper.

“Wanna talk about it, then?” the blonde offered, kissing his neck softly. The omega didn’t respond, focusing instead on working on his ice cream. “Noct, I want to help, and I can’t help if you don’t talk to me…”

“…”

“I’ll wait as long as I need to, okay? Whenever you’re ready, I’m here for you,” Prompto promised, kissing Noctis’s mate mark lightly.

“…”

It took several long moments, during which Noctis merely sat and quietly ate his ice cream, before he finally decided to speak up.

“…why…why did this have to happen…?”

“What do you mean, love?”

“…this…this is exactly what…what I didn’t…want to happen…”

“Noct… We knew going into this that it wouldn’t be easy, and this was bound to happen at some point,” his alpha pointed out softly. “And unfortunately, life doesn’t always go how we want it to. But that’s when we make the best of it. Like when my parents left, I had to make the best of my situation, and I’d say I turned out pretty good. And we’ll do that here. I highly doubt Regis will make you be present during the statement, since I’d like to think he wouldn’t put you through that and stress you out that badly, but it’s for the best that the people know the truth. Besides, once it’s out there, you won’t have to hide the truth anymore, as hard as that is.” When he finished speaking, he lightly tightened his grip on his omega. “And I’ll always be here to support you, no matter how rough things get.”

The prince whimpered pitifully, cradling his ice cream bowl. “…I don’t want them to know…” he whined. “Th…they’ll just…judge me for… _what_ I am…not _who_ …”

“They won’t, Noct, because if they do, how can their future King have trust in his people? They’ll love you for who you are, and not look down upon you for what you are,” Prompto soothed calmly, slowly rubbing his omega’s belly. “After all, you’ve been so amazing as a prince, even though they all thought you were an alpha. And what changes with the truth coming out? Nothing. Literally nothing except them knowing the truth. They have no reason to judge you, because you are the most amazing person I know, and the people can see that, too.”

“But…y-you saw…you heard what they said when we…when we changed the laws for…f-for the omegas…”

“And when they find out why, I’m sure they’d be more understanding, and actually, I honestly believe they’ll respect those laws more. Besides, you noticed those alphas were older, and more used to old customs. They’re not used to change, but they’ll have to with their future King.”

“But…but they…”

“No buts, love. I wouldn’t be saying this if it wasn’t true. I would never lie to you, Noct,” the blonde smiled, resting his chin on his mate’s shoulder. Noctis whimpered from the back of his throat, his fingers trembling around his bowl of ice cream. “I know you’re terrified right now, but I’ll be with you every step of the way, I promise.” As he spoke, he let his rumble sound in his chest to soothe his omega.

Whimpering softly, Noctis leaned back a little into Prompto’s hold. “…how even…?” he whimpered.

“I’m not sure…” Prompto sighed softly. Just then, there was a polite knock on the door. “Come in,” the alpha called out after kissing Noctis’s cheek.

As the door opened, the couple immediately spotted Kuja standing in the doorway, but the somber expression on his face was something they weren’t used to from the omega. And another thing they weren’t used to, was the small boy standing by his feet, head down and biting his lip, looking like he was about to cry.

“Joshua? Kuja? What’s wrong?” the blonde asked, concerned.

“…I apologize for the intrusion,” Kuja said solemnly as he stepped in, gently nudging Joshua inside. “However…there’s something Yoshiya has to say to you…”

That already had the couple’s attention; Kuja rarely ever used Joshua’s full name, unless he’d done something he wasn’t supposed to. Which was already the impression they were getting from the boy, and now that feeling was intensified by Kuja’s words.

“Josh? What happened, sweetie?” Prompto questioned, frowning worriedly.

“…” Joshua whimpered softly, and Noctis frowned softly, clearly worried. However, before he could say anything, the small boy burst out in tears as he cried out, “I sowwyyyyy Pwince Noctiiiiis!!” wailing as he began to cry loudly.

“…! J-Joshua…? Wha…what’s wrong…?” the prince choked out, startled at the boy’s loud wails. However, for Prompto, something seemed to click, and his eyes widened in horror as he looked to Kuja for confirmation of his suspicions.

Kuja’s expression didn’t change, but that in itself was more than enough of a confirmation to Prompto’s suspicion. And even more so when Joshua cried out.

“I-I…I didn’ mean… I-I didn’ wanna cause pwoblems…!” he wailed. “I just…I-I was just…h-happy ‘bout the babyyyy…!”

The alpha sighed heavily, knowing the poor boy didn’t mean to, and he truly felt guilty for what he’d done. He held Noctis close to himself, though, hoping his omega wouldn’t be too upset.

“…!” When Noctis realized what the boy had done, he stared in shock…for only a moment, though, before his expression turned sad. After a moment, he set his bowl of ice cream aside and lightly tugged on Prompto’s arms. Prompto let him go, but not without a quick kiss to his cheek.

After briefly nodding his head, Noctis moved off the bed and settled down on his knees. “Joshua…” he called out softly, though loud enough for the boy to hear it over his own crying. When the boy managed to calm his crying, Noctis held out his arms. Which made the boy whimper, before he ran over to the prince, where he was pulled into a hug by the prince…and where he proceeded to burst out crying again.

“Ssshh… It’s okay, sweetie… It’s okay…sshh…”

Prompto watched for a few moments, before joining in on the hug, rubbing the small boy’s back soothingly.

And Kuja merely watched quietly, letting the prince and his alpha calm down his son, since that was what the boy needed right now. Noctis merely continued to shush the small boy, running a hand through his silvery hair. It took almost five minutes before the 3-year-old was finally able to calm down.

“Better, Joshua?” Noctis asked gently as the boy sniffled softly. Prompto smiled kindly as he kept a hand on Joshua’s shoulder.

As Joshua reached up to wipe away his tears, Noctis moved back and gently rubbed his head. “There we go…”

Joshua sniffled softly. “Sowwy, Pwince Noctis…”

“Sssh… It’s okay, Joshua…”

“We know you didn’t mean to, hun,” the blonde added.

Joshua sniffled again, rubbing at his eyes. Then, finally, Kuja moved, walking over as he tugged a handkerchief from his pocket. “Joshua,” he said as he crouched down, pressing the cloth against the boy’s nose. “C’mon…blow.”

After one more sniffle, the boy did as his father said, blowing his nose on the handkerchief, which made the prince smile softly. Prompto smiled as well, lightly rubbing Joshua’s shoulder.

“It’ll be okay, Joshua, I promise,” he assured the boy.

“But…but I caused pwoblems…a-and s-stwess too…” the boy whined when his father had taken the handkerchief away, which earned him a light head-ruffling from Noctis.

“It’s okay, Joshua… I’m not mad,” he assured.

“…weally?”

“Yes, I promise.”

Prompto nodded, smiling reassuringly at the boy.

That finally seemed to calm Joshua down properly, even though he still had tears in his eyes, as he managed a shaky, watery smile at the couple. “There we go,” Noctis said warmly reaching up and wiping the tears away from the boy’s eyes. “No more tears today. You know the rules…”

“No cockwoaches or cwying babies!” Joshua chirped with a smile.

“Or crying baby cockroaches,” the prince added with a chuckle.

Chuckling at their antics, Prompto stepped over to Kuja as his mate cheered Joshua up. “How did you find out?” he asked quietly.

“We almost didn’t…” Kuja admitted softly, guiding Prompto away from Noctis and Joshua so they could talk without interruptions. “Valanx had been able to track the origins of the rumor to the school district…but we didn’t make the connection to Joshua until he actually heard us talking about it by accident…”

“Damn… Poor kid… He had no way of knowing he wasn’t supposed to say anything, and I feel bad for him… I’m more worried about Noct, though… He didn’t exactly take the news well when Regis mentioned making a statement to confirm everything,” the blonde sighed.

“With all due respect to His Highness…it might not be a wise choice in the current climate…” Kuja admitted with a small frown, folding his arms across his chest. “I know the argument is that it is better in the long run…but right now? No.”

“Yeah, but it’s going to—” Prompto started to explain.

However, Kuja held up his hand to stop him. “This is not just about what is best for the Kingdom…this is about Noct’s wellbeing, too…physical _and_ mental.” After placing his hand against the side of his head, he said, “Not to mention…the little one he carries.”

“Dammit… You’re right… But what about the rumors? He can’t stay cooped up here until the baby’s born…” Prompto sighed.

“So don’t,” Kuja said, a mischievous smile on his face. “Don’t worry; I will discuss the issue with His Majesty. Can I trust you both to keep my son in line?”

“Of course,” the alpha nodded. “But do I even want to know what you have planned?”

“Now _that_ would be spoiling the surprise…and you know I don’t do spoilers~” Kuja chuckled, before he turned on his heel. “See you later, dear~” he said with a wave over his shoulder, before he was out of the room.

Prompto sighed with a shake of his head, before returning to his mate and Joshua.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

Kuja hummed pleasantly as he walked down the large halls, more than a little pleased with his idea. He was pretty sure there would be plenty of opposition from his colleagues, but he was fairly sure that he could make the King see to reason if he played his cards right.

Once he reached the room he had been going for, he schooled his face into the usual calm expression, and then knocked.

“Enter,” came the King’s calm voice. And Kuja did, nodding his head politely before he shut the door behind him properly.

“Hello, Kuja,” Regis greeted. “Has there been any luck regarding the leak?”

“Yes, Your Majesty… We had a bit of a lucky break, you could say,” the silverette said solemnly.

“Oh?”

“Yes… It seems my son was responsible for the leak… He mentioned it to his classmates at kindergarten class in his excitement and…well, mothers love to gossip, I’m afraid…”

“Damn,” the older alpha murmured. “And yet it seems you come bearing a suggestion, perhaps?”

“That I have, Sire… Prompto has informed me you had plans to confirm the rumors… However, I would strongly advise against it.”

“Why is that?”

“While I admit it would be for the best of the Kingdom to get this knowledge out as fast as possible, I cannot say the same for the prince’s mental health,” Kuja explained. “It has already induced high levels of stress with him long before he ever met Prompto, but it’s only grown since then, and I fear that it may do irreparable harm to his child if he is exposed to much more of it…”

“…You have made some valid points, Kuja. What do you suggest, then?”

At this point, Kuja could barely suppress a smirk. “Well, I have it on good authority that Lady Lunafreya will be visiting Altissia next week. Perhaps it would serve the prince better to, instead of spending his days cooped up in the Citadel for the duration of his pregnancy, meet with her and perhaps come to an amicable solution about the peace treaty.” The way he said those words, though, made it clear that there was more to what he was saying.

Regis narrowed his eyes briefly, before he chuckled. “Then we shall follow through with your suggestion,” he smiled faintly. “And Prompto is to, of course, accompany him.”

“As you command, Your Majesty,” Kuja said with a bow. “Should I inform Sir Ignis and Sir Gladio, as well?”

“Indeed,” Regis nodded.

“As you wish, Sire. By your leave…” Kuja said, before he headed for the door…however, before he could open the door, he paused.

“Is something the matter?”

“…This may just be my imagination, Sire…but…the prince seems…a bit too large for one at his stage…” Kuja murmured softly. “I do not wish to make assumption, but it may be best to keep this in mind…”

“…Do you suspect twins, then?” the King frowned worriedly.

“Yes…though I cannot be certain until we perform an ultrasound later.”

“I’ll arrange for Iris to perform an ultrasound, then, to check on the child or children,” Regis said firmly.

“As you wish, Sire,” Kuja said, nodding, before he finally left the room.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

Meanwhile, Prompto watched Noctis closely as he played a game with Joshua, glad that his omega seemed to be more at ease for now. The small boy was giggling happily as he moved his little character along the board, while Noctis was smiling warmly, watching him do so.

Just then, the door opened behind Prompto, though Noctis and Joshua didn’t seem to notice.

“Hm?” the blonde hummed curiously, looking to see who it was. Kuja chuckled as he walked in and watched his son and Noctis playing a game. “How’d it go?” Prompto inquired quietly, not wanting Noctis to hear him.

"It went well," Kuja said with a smile. "His Highness has decided to abstain from confirming the rumors."

“Thank the Six…” the alpha breathed, relieved. This would take a huge load off of Noctis now, that much he was certain of.

“Ah, right; you’re advised to get packing, dear.”

“Huh?”

“The King has decreed that Prince Noctis is to meet Lady Lunafreya in Altissia. You’re to accompany him, of course.”

“Really now? Just what strings did you pull, then, Kuja?” Prompto snorted, gaining his mate’s attention.

“Oh, I merely offered my insight in her Ladyship’s whereabouts. That’s all~” Kuja said with a cheeky smile.

“Prom?” Noctis called out. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Actually, it looks like we get to see Luna in Altissia,” the blonde smiled.

“Wait wha…? I thought Luna was with…” Noctis said with a small frown.

“…?” Joshua blinked, twice, looking back and forth between his father and Noctis. “…wha’s going on…???”

“Well, sounds like she’ll be in Altissia here soon, if she’s not already,” Prompto chuckled.

“I guess…” Noctis murmured, before he turned to Joshua as the boy tugged on his sleeve.

“Noooooooct! Wha’s going ooooon?” This drew a soft laugh from the alpha.

“Ah…well, Prom and I have to go see a friend of ours.”

“…? Good friend?”

“Very good friend, yes,” Noctis confirmed with a smile.

“Ooooohhh. Okay…”

“Don’t worry, Josh. We’ll be back before ya know it,” Prompto chuckled.

“Kay…” Joshua whimpered, pouting a bit, until Noctis reached over and ruffled his hair, making him giggle. That’s when another knock sounded on the bedroom door, and Prompto opened it to reveal Iris.

“Hey guys!” she smiled brightly. “I came to get Noctis for an ultrasound to check on the baby’s health.”

Noctis blinked, before he smiled and chuckled. “Already?”

“Utwa sound???” Joshua chirped.

“Yep. I really should have done so a bit sooner, but with everything that’s been going on, I haven’t made the time,” Iris admitted.

“Yeah. An ultrasound will let us see the baby in Noct’s belly,” Prompto told Joshua.

That made Joshua’s eyes go wide in awe, before he smiled. “I wanna see I wanna see!!”

Noctis laughed softly. “Sure, Joshua…let’s go.”

“I’ll go on ahead and set it up, guys,” the brunette giggled, before heading to the infirmary. Prompto then went over and helped Noctis to his feet, kissing his cheek briefly before linking their fingers together as they began to head to the infirmary, Joshua and Kuja following. When they got there, Iris had the ultrasound machine set up, and she smiled kindly at the prince. “Go ahead and lie down on the bed, Noctis.”

Noctis nodded as he climbed on, groaning a little with one hand on his stomach. Once he was on, he laid back, as Kuja reached down and picked up Joshua in his arms so the boy could watch. Prompto took his omega’s free hand in his own, gently squeezing it.

“All right, Noctis, this is gonna be cold, just a warning,” the beta told him as she picked up a bottle of gel and squeezed a dollop onto the raven’s swollen stomach.

“Ah!” Noctis yelped. “No kidding…!” he hissed softly, much to Joshua’s amusement. Prompto squeezed his hand reassuringly as he stayed close to his omega, and as soon as Iris pressed the wand to Noctis’s stomach, a whooshing sound filled the room.

“That’s your heartbeat, but the baby’s is obviously smaller, so I just need to find it, and then we’ll hear its heartbeat, too,” the brunette told Noctis. As she moved the wand around, however, she frowned curiously, catching the blonde’s attention.

“Something wrong, Iris?” he asked worriedly.

“Not…wrong, per se,” she murmured, before pausing in three spots, a softer whooshing sound coming from each one. “…It looks like…there are three…”

“…!” This immediately caused Noctis to tense, his hand clenching Prompto’s hand tightly. “Th…three…?”

After a bit more of moving the wand, Iris nodded in confirmation. “Yes. It looks like you guys are having triplets.” Prompto tensed as well, but because he was more worried for Noctis, not so much the shock of having triplets.

“…?” Joshua blinked slowly, looking over to Iris. “Wha tha mean, Iri??”

“It means that Noctis is going to be having three babies,” Iris told him softly.

His eyes widening in awe, Joshua smiled widely. “Weally!?” he chirped. “Tha good, wight?!” However, when no one answered immediately, Joshua’s mood quickly deflated. “…not good?”

“Kuja, Iris, I hate to ask this, but can you guys give us a bit?” Prompto pleaded quietly, watching his mate with heavy concern. He had a strong feeling Noctis was about to break down from the news, anyway.

“…Sure thing, dear,” Kuja said solemnly, nodding softly, while Joshua whimpered and cuddled up against his dad.

“Of course,” Iris nodded, and then the three left the infirmary, giving the couple some privacy.

“Noct…?” the blonde murmured, moving onto the bed with him and wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “Talk to me, love. I need to know what you’re thinking…”

“…” Noctis didn’t speak, though. However, he _did_ tremble subtly, biting his lip to the point where he looked like he was about to break the skin.

“Noct… You need to relax, or you’re gonna hurt yourself or the babies…” Prompto murmured, holding Noctis close to himself, guiding the raven’s head to rest on his chest. “I’m here for you, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Again, there was no response, but the prince whimpered as he clung to his alpha pitifully. “…Prom…” he whimpered softly.

“…You’re scared, aren’t you?” the blonde guessed, gently rubbing Noctis’s back.

“…I…I don’t… I-I can’t do this…!” the raven choked out.

“Noct… You _can_ do this, I know it. You’re the toughest, bravest, most amazing person I know, and you _can_ do this. I believe in you, and I’ll be here for you to remind you of that, no matter what,” Prompto murmured in a firm voice, kissing the top of Noctis’s head softly.

“I…I don’t… I’m not…”

“Don’t deny it, Noct. Those are a few of the reasons I fell in love with you. I love you so much, and I know you can handle this. I’ll be with you every step of the way to help,” his alpha told him.

“…how…how can it…?” Noctis whimpered.

“Noct, you won’t be alone. You have a huge support system to help you, and most importantly, I’m with you. Everything will be just fine,” Prompto promised.

“But…!”

“Trust me?”

“…” Noctis was clearly trying to object again, but it was clear that the whole day had worn him out, as he only managed a small whimper while he curled up against Prompto. Which, sadly, was followed by a small, broken sob.

“Ssshhh…” the blonde shushed gently, holding him as close as he could. “Trust me, Noct, when I say everything will be just fine. I’ll make sure of it, I promise. I love you so much…”

The prince continued to cry softly, clinging to Prompto like a small koala. It was clear that the news of him having triplets, on top of everything else that had piled on was hitting him hard. Prompto smiled sadly, merely rubbing his mate’s back soothingly and kissing the top of his head occasionally. He knew Noctis would eventually be okay, but right now, the raven had to be terrified. Finally, though, the raven’s sobs quieted down, and his grip on Prompto grew slack.

Frowning worriedly, Prompto then thought of something. “Carbuncle?” he called out softly, hoping the little fox creature would hear him. Thankfully, no sooner had he called out, or a familiar chirp resounded from behind the blonde. And then, the equally familiar fox hopped over and moved over to Noctis, gently nudging the raven’s cheek with his nose.

“He cried himself to sleep, Carbuncle…” the blonde murmured sadly, running a gentle hand through the ebony locks. “Can you help?”

“Pireeehh~” the fox chirped softly…with Prompto’s phone going off, as well.

Prompto pulled out his phone and read the message.

“I can. Coming with?”

“Absolutely,” Prompto nodded.

“Pireh~”

Hopping over to the prince’s head, the small fox curled around his head, the crystal on his forehead beginning to shine. And shortly after, the alpha settled back and closed his eyes.

 

X*X(Noctis’s Dream)X*X

As Prompto opened his eyes again, he found himself in what looked like a small forest. It was beautiful and calming. However, he didn’t have long to wonder, as Carbuncle hopped off, leading the way down the small forest path. The blonde was quick to follow, wondering where Noctis was.

It didn't him them long to figure that out, though, as Carbuncle hopped through a nearby bush. And, sure enough, there was Noctis, sitting by a lake, under a tree…and he looked just as sad as he had while awake.

Prompto started to go to his omega worriedly, however, Carbuncle bit down on his pants and tugged him back.

“What is it?” he whispered to the fox. Carbuncle didn’t say anything else…but then there was a small tug on the opposite side. And when Prompto looked over, there was a small girl standing by his side with short, blonde hair and bright blue eyes, dressed in a simple black dress with her tiny feet bare.

“Daddy… Papa sad?” she asked in a small voice. Prompto blinked, startled, before crouching down to the girl’s level.

“Yeah, Papa’s sad,” he murmured, glancing back at Noctis worriedly.

The girl whimpered sadly, biting her lip the same way Noctis often did. “…do sumting wong…?” she asked, tears already forming in her eyes.

“No, sweetie, you didn’t do anything wrong,” the alpha assured her with a small smile.

“Then why…?” she asked, sniffling.

However, just then, another child, the same age as the little blonde, toddled over and lightly shook her shoulder.

“Hey… nu cwying… Papa say no cakwoaches or cwying babies.”

It took a moment for Prompto to realize that this was also a little girl, despite the shorts she wore. However, unlike the first girl, she had dark black hair, and her eyes were a darker shade of blue.

“‘S okay! Papa gonna be fine!” another blonde, this one a little boy in creamy white shorts and a black tank top with a short-sleeved creamy white jacket. His eyes were an ocean blue, a little darker than Prompto’s.

“He’s right, you know,” Prompto smiled, putting a hand on the blonde girl’s shoulder. “Papa’s gonna be okay.”

The first girl sniffled once more, and then lifted her small fists to wipe away her tears. “K-kay…” Sniffle. “N-nu cwying babies…”

The second girl smiled happily, before she turned to where Noctis was sitting. This only lasted a very brief moment as she then reached for the small girl’s hand and tugged her along, scampering toward the prince. The boy was quick to follow with a small yip, and Prompto watched, wondering if he should go, too. Which was answered by a push to the back of his leg by Carby.

“Thanks, Carby,” the alpha murmured, before going after the kids, joining them with his mate.

Noctis clearly hadn’t noticed them at all, so it was no surprise that when the black-haired girl gave a shout and dove onto his lap, he gave a yowl of surprise. “Wh-what…?” he got out, just as the girl looked up and smiled at him, giggling merrily.

“Papa…!” the blonde girl chirped as she moved to hug the prince’s arm. “Dun be sad! Is kays!”

“Wha… Wh…who are…?”

“It’s fine, Noct,” Prompto chuckled as he joined them, the blonde boy smiling brightly as he went to Noctis.

“Prom…? Wh…what are you…?”

However, the girl in his lap clambered up so she could reached up and pat the prince’s head. “Papa, ‘s okay. Nu being sad anymores…kay?”

“Pa…pa…? Wha…?”

Just then, there was a familiar chirp from Prompto’s pocket, and when he pulled out his phone, the message read, “Play along.”

“Noct, these are our children,” Prompto smiled kindly.

“Papa!” the boy smiled brightly. “Is kay! You kays!”

“Wh…but…” Noctis stammered, reaching down a hand on his stomach…more specifically, his _flat_ stomach. “Ah…?”

“Papa? Do yous have a tummy ache?” the small blonde girl asked innocently.

“Daddy says lotsa west helps!” the boy chirped, sitting by the prince’s side and making Prompto chuckle.

As Noctis watched the three kids crowd around him, he wasn’t sure what to think or feel. On one hand, he still felt absolutely terrified of the prospect of having not one, not two, but _three_ children he would have to give birth to in four months’ time. However, looking down at their small, round faces, and the genuine expressions they showed, and he found that most of that fear was being squashed by him trying not to openly aww at them. They were just so adorable; especially when they were looking at him like that…like he was their whole world.

“Papa?” the small girl in his lap suddenly called, tugging on his shirt to draw his attention.

After a moment of blinking (and getting used to the word “Papa” being synonymous with his name), he smiled at her and asked, “Yes, princess?”

“We gonna see the Cocos, now?” she asked cutely.

“Yeah! We wanna see the Cocos!” the blonde boy giggled.

“I think that’d be fun, huh Noct?” Prompto smiled.

“Pweeeeaaase, Papa?” the blonde girl pleaded, still clinging to the raven’s arm. And Six-be-damned…how was he supposed to say “no” to those little darlings?

“Alright… Let’s go,” he said, but even before he had finished the last word, the three kids burst out into cheers.

Prompto laughed lightly at the kids’ excitement, more than relieved to see his omega accepting the situation. Once the smaller raven had clambered out of his lap and the blonde girl had let go of his arm, Noctis stood up on his feet, chuckling as the kids began to tug on his pants to get him to hurry. Prompto went over to Noctis as well, linking their fingers together with a warm smile. Noctis seemed to hesitate for a brief moment, but, then, he allowed a soft smile of his own, even as the kids called out for them to hurry.

“Hang on, you three! Don’t go so fast, or you’ll trip,” the alpha called out to them as he began to go after them with Noctis.

“We kays!” the tiny raven girl chirped—right before her little sister yelped and did just that.

Gasping in surprise, Noctis quickly let go of Prompto’s hand and hurried to the girl’s side as she whined and tried not to cry. “Sssh…it’s okay, sunshine,” he murmured, pulling the girl against his side as her siblings scrambled back to check on her.

“You kays?” the boy asked worriedly, while Prompto joined his mate.

The girl sniffled, rubbing at her face quickly. "Uh-huh..." she said with a small nod.

“Do you want to be carried, hun?” Prompto asked.

Immediately, she shook her head. "I kays... wanna walks!"

"Okay, sweetie... just be careful, okay?" Noctis murmured, and the girl nodded.

“There we go, sunshine,” the alpha smiled.

“Le’s hold hands!” the raven girl chirped with a smile, taking her sister's hand. “Nu fallin’ thens!”

“Kays!”

“Okeys!” the boy grinned, taking the blonde girl’s other hand. Prompto smiled warmly at the sight, before looking at Noctis with that same smile. The raven returned the smile with his own, as he stood up again. Once Prompto had stood up as well, the raven reached out and took Prompto’s hand, before they began to follow after the three kids, who were laughing and giggling.

They soon arrived at the Chocobo Post, and Prompto felt his own excitement at seeing the Chocobos when they got there. He walked with Noctis and the kids to where the Chocobos were milling about in a big pen, idly wondering if Choco was here, despite this being a dream.

When they saw the Chocobos, the kids cheered, before (carefully) hurrying over. This made Noctis laugh softly, even as the two of them moved after. And as they arrived, sure enough, there was Choco with Sora, letting the kids nuzzle their beaks with their chicks running around them, chirping happily. As they watched the children play with the Chocochicks, Prompto held Noctis close to him, giving a soft, content sigh.

And Noctis gently leaned up against him, watching as the kids now began to play with the chicks happily. “…they’re so cute…” he whispered.

“I’d like to think you would think that,” his alpha chuckled, kissing the top of the prince’s head. “After all, they’re ours.”

Glancing at the blonde quietly, the prince seemed to weigh the meaning of those words, but finally, he turned back to the kids and smiled softly. “…they are…aren’t they?”

“Of course,” Prompto smiled, internally grateful to Carbuncle for pulling this off.

“Papa! Daddy!!” the small raven chirped suddenly, waving them over. “Come plays!”

“Hahah… okay, princess…we’re coming,” Noctis chuckled softly. Prompto laughed softly as well, and they joined the kids with the Chocobos and Chocochicks.

As they settled there, the kids laughed and cheered, scampering around the couple with the happiest expressions ever on their faces. And Noctis could only smile as he watched and then played with them. Prompto was smiling as well, so relieved and happy that his omega had seemed to come to terms with having their triplets.

 

X*X(Real World)X*X

Regis was heading to the infirmary, heavily worried about his son. Iris had reported to him about the ultrasound results, and how Noctis hadn’t taken the news well, so he wanted to check on him and Prompto after giving them some time. When he quietly opened the door to the infirmary, however, he was pleasantly surprised to see Carbuncle curled up with the couple, the crystal on his head glowing as the three slept. Both Prompto and Noctis were smiling softly in their sleep, and this drew a relieved smile to the King’s face.

“…Thank you, Prompto, Carbuncle,” he murmured, before closing the door again. Noctis murmured sleepily, before his arm slowly wound around the blonde’s back, while his other hand slipped down to his stomach, fingers gently moving over the skin. And as a content sigh escaped him, he curled up against Prompto, still smiling softly.


	17. Chapter 17

When Prompto woke up later, he was still holding Noctis close to himself, but now, one of the raven’s hands was on his swollen stomach, and the other was wrapped around his back, keeping himself close to the blonde. The alpha smiled softly at the sight, before leaning down and kissing Noctis’s temple.

“…mmm…?” Noctis moaned softly, before he slowly blinked his eyes open. “…Prom…?”

“Hey, love,” Prompto murmured, lightly tightening his grip on his omega. “How do you feel?”

“…” Humming softly, Noctis reached up and rubbed the dust from his eyes. “…tired…”

“I’ll bet,” the blonde smiled, kissing Noctis’s forehead.

“Hmm…” the prince merely hummed, settling a little better against him. “Mmm… I…do feel better, though…”

“About the triplets?” Prompto guessed, beginning to run his fingers through the ebony locks.

“…yeah…”

“Did you dream about it?”

“…mhmm…”

“Wanna talk about it?”

“…” For a few moments, Noctis didn’t respond. But, finally, he murmured, “They were… so cute…”

“I’ll bet. After all, they’ll be ours in four months,” his alpha smiled warmly.

“…four months…” the prince repeated, smiling softly.

“Wanna bet one’s gonna be your doppelganger?” Prompto asked with an amused chuckle.

Noctis peeked out through one eye dryly, before he snorted. “Yeah…like you’re not going to have one…”

“I don’t mind. Besides, I’ll bet yours will be as cute as you,” the blonde smirked. The prince merely snorted, but he was smiling as he settled against Prompto again. “…I’m glad you feel better, Noct.”

“…hm?” Noctis hummed as he looked up slowly.

“You were so scared earlier, and I was worried shitless I wouldn’t be able to help, no matter what I did…” Prompto admitted, exhaling shakily.

“…” After a few moments of silence, Noctis sighed as he moved closer and hugged Prompto firmly. “…I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay, Noct, I know it was scary to think about,” his alpha assured him, returning the hug. “But like I said before, I’m not going anywhere, and I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

The prince didn’t answer for a long time. However, suddenly, he hummed and slowly pushed up from the bed. Prompto perked up at the motion, sitting up properly as well. As they looked over to the door, it took them a few moments to spot the small boy standing in the doorway, watching them cautiously.

“Hey Josh, everything’s okay now,” Prompto called to the young silverette. Though the boy seemed to hesitate for a moment, he ended up smiling and then scampering over into the room. “Come on up, kid,” the blonde smiled, helping him up onto the bed.

Joshua smiled happily as he settled on Prompto's lap, before he looked to Noctis. “…you kays, Pwince Noctis?”

The omega smiled softly. “Yes, Joshua. I’m sorry if I scared you,” he said softly as he ruffled the boy’s hair, making him giggle.

“See? Everything’s okay,” Prompto chuckled.

Joshua smiled happily as he settled down in the blonde’s lap. Just then, there was a knock, and when they looked, Kuja was standing the doorway. “Pardon the intrusion,” he said calmly, “but Iggy’s looking for you boys.”

“I’m guessing about the Altissia trip?” the alpha asked.

“That too, but primarily about dinner, dears,” the older omega chuckled.

“…that late already?” Noctis murmured.

“Geez, time flies,” Prompto sighed. “Sorry Josh, gotta get off, hun.”

“Awww…” Joshua whined, but he got up anyway.

“Well, we all do need to eat,” the blonde pointed out as he got up as well, before helping Noctis up from the bed. Noctis groaned a little bit, holding a hand to his stomach, as Joshua hurried over to his dad. “You okay?” his alpha asked in concern.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” the prince assured, nodding.

“All right,” Prompto nodded, before tucking Noctis into his side with a smile as they left for the dining room. Noctis hummed softly as he walked alongside the blonde, keeping one hand on his stomach as he did, subconsciously. When they got to the dining room, Regis was already there, and he looked up upon their arrival.

“Noctis, how do you feel?” he asked, a note of concern to his voice.

The prince allowed a small smile as he nodded. “I’m okay, Dad…thank you.”

“Good to know,” the King smiled in relief.

“Come on Noct, let’s get some dinner,” Prompto murmured, kissing his temple before guiding him to his seat. Nodding, the omega let his alpha lead him to his seat, sitting down carefully. The blonde took notice of this, seeing that his mate was taking much more care now that he knew he was carrying triplets.

It wasn’t long after everyone was seated that Ignis came out with dinner, and he had a slightly larger portion for Noctis, since the raven would need all he could get for the growing lives inside of him.

“So, when do we leave for Altissia, Kuja, Regis?” Prompto asked after swallowing a bite. Kuja hummed softly, smiling.

“Lady Lunafreya should arrive in Altissia in 3 days’ time. Given the distance from Insomnia, it would be best to leave tomorrow afternoon.”

“Sounds good, Prompto smiled, glancing at Noctis, who nodded to show his agreement on the matter.

“I certainly hope you’ll enjoy yourselves,” Regis chuckled, and Prompto laughed lightly.

“I don’t doubt it,” he grinned. “Never been to Altissia, but I’ve seen pictures and heard it’s amazing.”

“It is,” Noctis confirmed with a nod. “I’m sure you’ll get plenty of good shots when we get there.”

“Sure will!” Prompto smirked.

“You guys, I remember reading recently that there’s gonna be the Moogle Chocobo Festival going on during the time you’re there!” Iris informed the couple with a bright smile, making Prompto’s eyes widen.

“Really?!” he gasped. “Noct, we’re making the most of this!”

The blonde’s excitement caused Noctis to laugh softly. “Pretty sure we will,” he managed to get out.

“Of course!” Iris giggled.

“And Iggy and I will make sure you guys get plenty of time to yourselves,” Gladio smirked.

Noctis rolled his eyes, but he chuckled regardless. “Sure, if you say so.”

“I’d rather it be just the two of us, anyway, but I know you need the protection,” Prompto said as he finished his dinner.

“Story of my life,” the omega joked softly, and no one admonished him for it, since he didn't mean it in a bad way.

When they had all finished dinner and Prompto and Noctis got back to their room and had changed into their pajamas, the blonde held Noctis to him once they were lying down. “Love you, Noct…” he whispered, gently resting his hands on his omega’s belly.

“Hmmm…love you, too…” Noctis murmured, lacing his fingers with Prompto’s sleepily.

“…Are you getting a bit excited at all to have them?” Prompto asked quietly, lightly rubbing the raven’s stomach.

Noctis didn’t answer immediately, though he did squeeze Prompto’s hand. “…maybe a little bit…” he murmured softly.

“I’m getting excited, myself,” his alpha smiled, nuzzling his mate’s pale neck softly.

This made Noctis snort. “Heh… You’re always excited.”

“Well, you can’t blame me. Excitement in life is sometimes nice,” Prompto chuckled.

“Mmm…”

“Get some sleep, love. We have a big day tomorrow,” the blonde murmured, stilling his hands’ movement as he relaxed fully, closing his eyes. There wasn’t even a response this time; just a sleepy murmur that couldn’t even be constituted as a vocal reply, as his breathing gradually slowed down until it was clear to everyone that the prince was fast asleep.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

The next day found the couple packing up for their trip to Altissia. Prompto was packing his stuff, occasionally checking on Noctis, when there was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” he called.

As the door opened, Kuja stepped in casually, with Joshua close behind. “Good day, dears~” he said cheerily as the boy hurried over to ‘help’.

“Hey Kuja, Josh,” Prompto greeted. “So how are we getting to Altissia without Noct being seen?”

“Well…in normal situations, that would be impossible…as the only way out of Insomnia is through the Old Wall, since airships cannot approach due to the Wall…” Kuja murmured, before he smirked. “However…if that’s the case, all we need to do is draw the eyes away from the prince, hm?”

“Wha…?”

However, Noctis laughed softly. “You sure Kazuma will be okay with that?” he asked.

“Why would he not be, hm?” Kuja chuckled, as he turned to the door. And as he stepped aside, in stepped…Noctis??

“What the…?!” Prompto yelped, shocked, which caused Kuja and Noctis to start laughing.

“Easy, Prom… Look again,” Noctis said calmly.

When Prompto looked again, he realized that, even though the man looked eerily similar to Noctis, even wearing the Royal Raiment, there were some very distinct differences. For one; while his hair was the same shade, it looked like it had actually been dyed that color only recently, though it was hard to tell from a distance. Secondly, his eyes were slightly wider than Noct's and they were a dark blue-green instead of a steely blue that Noct had.

After a moment, the lookalike put a hand on his hip and cocked an eyebrow at Prompto. “Are you done ogling now?” he asked with a solemn voice that was much deeper than Noctis’s.

“Sorry, you just look eerily similar right now…” the blonde apologized.

“Well aware…that is the whole point,” the man said calmly, before he held out his hand to Prompto. “Kazuma.”

“Nice to meet you,” Prompto nodded, taking his hand and shaking it.

“Now then,” Kuja said calmly once Kazuma had let go of his hand, “while Kazuma here will be heading out on a meeting, you dears will be leaving in the Regalia. Sound good?”

“Yeah…sounds like a plan,” Noctis said with a nod.

“Good with me,” his alpha agreed.

“Good~” Kuja chuckled. “You boys get packed, then. Iggy should be coming by to pick you up later. And Joshua, behave, understood?”

“Yes, Papa!!”

“Thanks again, Kuja,” Prompto smiled gratefully.

“You’re welcome~” the silverette chuckled, before he left with Kazuma.

“At least we’re almost done packing,” the blonde commented once they were gone.

“Yeah,” Noctis said as the pair returned to packing, with Joshua helping with a merry giggle. Once they were done, it wasn’t too long of a wait before Ignis came to get them.

“Hey Ignis,” Prompto greeted.

“Hello. Are you both ready?” he asked.

“As good as,” Noctis said with a chuckle as he locked his suitcase with Joshua’s help.

“Good to know,” the sandy blonde smiled faintly. “Then let’s go.” Prompto grabbed Noctis’s suitcase as well as his own, and then they headed out to the Regalia, where Gladio was seated in front passenger seat so as to let Prompto and Noctis sit together in the back.

Before they moved to get inside, though, Joshua tugged on Noctis’s pants. Which made the prince smile as he settled down and hugged Joshua.

“See you soons, Pwince Noctis!” the boy chirped, even though he was clearly sad that the prince was going.

“Don’t worry, Josh; we’ll be back before you know it,” Noctis promised, ruffling his hair. “Look after your dad, okay?”

“Kay!”

“Hey, what am I, chopped liver?” Prompto teased, crouching down and holding his arms out for a hug as well. Joshua smiled as he hurried into the blonde’s hug, throwing his arms around the blonde’s neck. “There we go. You be good, and we’ll be back soon, kay?”

“Kay! Have funs!”

“We will, don’t worry,” Prompto chuckled, while Gladio snorted on a laugh. After ruffling the boy’s hair, Noctis shooed the boy back inside, who scurried off to find his dad. And once he had, Noctis stood up again.

“Let’s get going,” Prompto murmured, helping his omega into the Regalia before going around and climbing in on his side once the suitcases were in the trunk. Ignis climbed into the driver’s seat, and then started the ignition before pulling away and driving to the port at Galdin Quay. As they drove, Prompto took Noctis’s hand in his in between them, pulling it up to kiss the back of his hand softly, making Noctis hum curiously, before settling their hands between them.

Smiling softly, Noctis turned his hand and linked their hands gently.

“Love you,” his alpha murmured.

“Love you, too…” Noctis said softly in turn. As Kuja had already said, no one seemed to even realize that Noctis was in the Regalia, heading out of Insomnia with his advisor, Shield and mate (the latter of which no one even knew existed). Thanks to that, it took only a few hours to reach the Old Wall.

Not many people chose to _leave_ Insomnia once they were inside the Wall, but the few people that did, rarely left for long, even though they _did_ need a proper return visa to come back. However, given that Noctis was the prince, that was a return visa all its own, for himself _and_ the people accompanying him. On top of that, the border control officers had already been informed that they would be coming. Which let them pass through with little to no difficulty, even though the officers made it _seem_ like they had something to say about them, just to give those behind their car the impression that there wasn’t someone important in the Regalia.

Once they had passed the Wall, they were off into the wild. Ignis drove them further on until dusk began to fall, when the daemons would start coming out. They were still not completely there and had to stop at a hotel at the Longwythe Rest Area. Once they had parked the car and gotten to the hotel, getting two separate rooms, they got dinner in the hotel’s cafeteria before calling it a day early so they could leave at the crack of dawn (much to Noctis’s chagrin).

And of course, as they slept, Prompto held Noctis close to himself, making Noctis purr softly.

The next morning, very early, they resumed their drive after a quick breakfast. After a much shorter trip, they made it to Galdin Quay by noon.

Upon reaching it, Gladio and Ignis got out the suitcases, even though Noctis wanted to assist (which he wasn’t allowed by his mate). Before heading for the ferry, they went to eat lunch at the restaurant, with Ignis managing to get a new recipe idea as well. Some people were looking at them oddly, but no one spent too long on it, turning back to their own business.

Once they were done, they finally made their way to the docks. There, they boarded their boat…which wasn’t even the standard ferry, turns out; instead, it was a very fancy looking speedboat of some sort. And Noctis openly laughed at the awe on Prompto’s face, before they headed aboard.

Once the couple were settled together in their own seats, with Ignis moving to the wheel to steer, Prompto wrapped an arm around his omega’s shoulders, holding him close. Noctis, in turn, hummed as he tugged his legs onto the seat, leading against the blonde softly.

“Tired already, huh?” the blonde asked quietly, kissing his mate’s temple. Which was answered by a lazy hum from the prince. “Don’t worry, you can sleep,” Prompto murmured, lightly tightening his grip on Noctis. The prince gave a sleepy murmur, smiling softly as he got comfy against the blonde.

The trip to Altissia was an uneventful one, and most of it was spent by chatting quietly with Ignis and Gladio. When they got close to the city, Prompto gently woke the raven with a soft kiss to his forehead.

“…mmm?” Noctis hummed, lazily opening his eyes.

“Time to wake up, love. We’re getting close,” his alpha murmured.

“Hm…already…?” the omega groaned out.

“Yep. You can nap some more at the hotel if you want,” Prompto chuckled.

“Mm…fiiiine…” Noctis sighed as he sat up properly.

“There we go,” the blonde smiled, kissing the raven’s temple. After stretching his arms over his head, Noctis got up and followed after Ignis and Gladio with Prompto. As they emerged from inside the speedboat, Prompto frowned curiously when they were getting close to a checkpoint of some sort.

“Ah, crap… I forgot that was a thing…” Noctis hissed softly. Ignis went to the front once they stopped at the checkpoint, beginning to talk to the men there.

“Gentlemen, is something the matter? We have nothing to hide,” he said.

“Customs check, sir,” the official said in response. “Just making sure people don’t bring in something they’re not supposed to. Wouldn’t want something bad to happen when the festival starts tomorrow…”

“Altissia’s always been strict on their customs…” Noctis sighed. “We…might be here a while…”

“Dammit…” Prompto grumbled.

No sooner had he said that, though…

“Oh there you guys are!”

Prompto perked up at the familiar voice, but Ignis frowned suspiciously, while Gladio outright growled.

“Sir, I’m gonna have to ask you to stay back,” one of the officials said as he stopped the blonde from coming over.

Said blonde blinked his light blue eyes a few times, watching the man curiously. He was around Prompto’s height (maybe a little shorter), with his hair cut short around his face, while it hung down his back in a loose ponytail. He was dressed fairly casually, yet it was also a little showy with the cravat and gloves he wore.

After a moment, the blonde snorted. “Dude, it’s fine! They’re with me; we just lost each other for a bit.”

“The hell are—” Gladio nearly demanded, before getting cut off when Ignis elbowed him in the gut.

Noctis glared briefly at Gladio, before he turned to the blonde. “Sorry about that, Zidane… it took us a bit to get our bags,” he said calmly.

“Ah, ‘s okay, buddy!” the blonde said, waving his hand. “Prolly shouldn’t have gone on ahead so fast… Lu was getting worried, actually.”

“Still, good thing you guys are okay after you took off,” Prompto added with a chuckle.

The officials looked back and forth between the new blonde arrival and the group, debating, before one of them groaned. “Okay, fine, just get out of here.”

“Thanks a bunch! C’mon fellas! Let’s mosey on along, shall we?” the blonde quipped with a big grin.

“Sounds good,” Prompto nodded, as Ignis docked their boat before they all got off, Gladio and Ignis bringing the suitcases. “Thanks for saving our asses back there, Zidane. What a way to meet, huh?” Prompto chuckled when they were all together.

The shorter blonde chuckled as he helped them out of the boat. “No prob. Kuj already mentioned ya’d probably be showing up right around now.”

“…Wait…” Noctis murmured, frowning. “You know Kuja?”

“Oh yeah, sure; we’re brothers, after all,” Zidane said calmly.

“Wait, what?! You guys look nothing alike, though!” Prompto yelped, making Zidane laugh.

“Yeah, we get that a lot,” he quipped.

The other blonde soon calmed down, though, and added, “Well, that explains how he knew so much.”

Noctis chuckled. “It does indeed…” he murmured as they stepped out into the streets.

“Hello, everyone!” called another familiar voice as the owner approached, and the four Lucians looked to see Luna coming over to them. “Long time no see~”

The prince smiled as the girl approached. “Hey Luna,” he said warmly.

“Noctis, you’re looking really good,” she giggled, hugging him gently. Prompto smiled at the comment, as he’d been doing his best to take care of Noctis.

“Thanks. You’re looking good, too,” the omega said as he returned the hug. Once he’d pulled back, he asked, “So you just got here, too?”

“Yes, and we were going to head to the hotel to get settled in,” Luna smiled. “Come with us, as I’m sure you’re tired, hm?”

“Yeah…it’s been a long trip…” Noctis agreed.

Zidane chuckled with his hands behind his head. “No kidding… No offense, dude, but you look like you need it.”

“Well, with triplets on the way, of course he needs all the rest he can get,” Prompto chuckled, holding Noctis close.

“Really?” Luna smiled brightly. The omega smiled, nodding softly as he placed a hand on his stomach.

“Oooh, that’s gonna be a handful, I’m betting…” Zidane said with a small chuckle.

“We can handle it,” Prompto assured him, kissing his mate’s temple.

“Let’s get to the Leville so Noct can rest while we continue this conversation,” Ignis suggested, and Prompto nodded.

“Good thinking,” he agreed.

“Righto! This way then, people,” the shorter blonde said with a grin, though he paused briefly to hold out his arm to Luna. Luna hooked her arm with Zidane’s offered one with a giggle, and they headed off to the Leville. Once there, Prompto let out a low, impressed whistle.

“Geez, this place is fancier than any hotel I’ve ever seen,” he commented. Noctis chuckled, smiling, as he squeezed Prompto’s hand softly. They got checked in, and then went up to their rooms, where Prompto took his and Noctis’s suitcases over from Ignis and Gladio so the pair could go to their own room. “Wanna rest for a bit?” he offered to his mate when they got inside with the door shut. “Or did you want to catch up with Luna first?”

“…Hm, I suppose we can go catch up with Lu first,” Noctis murmured. “It’s still early.”

“True. Let’s have her and Zidane come here, though, that way when you start getting sleepy, you can just lie right down instead of coming back to the room,” his alpha suggested.

“Sounds good,” Noctis said, pulling out his phone and typing out an invite to his old friend. Soon after sending it, Luna replied back.

 

**Luna: We’ll be right over~**

 

Noctis smiled and turned to Prompto. “They’ll be right over.”

“Cool,” the blonde nodded. And sure enough, it wasn’t even five minutes later that there was a knock on the door. Prompto checked to see who it was, and then smiled brightly as he opened the door.

“Hey guys,” he greeted, letting in Luna and Zidane.

“Hello, you two,” Luna smiled kindly, sitting on the armchair near the bed.

“Sooo…had a good trip?” Zidane asked as he hopped onto a chair backwards.

“Well enough… the last part was a little rickety,” Noctis chuckled.

“Still, it wasn’t too bad,” Prompto pointed out as he sat by his mate, holding him close.

“You two are a perfect match for each other, in case I’ve never said it before,” Luna giggled.

Zidane chuckled. “Really? I couldn’t tell,” he quipped, and Noctis merely smiled a little bit. Prompto smiled as well, kissing Noctis’s temple.

“How are the triplets, then? Healthy?” Luna asked curiously.

“Yeah, they’re as healthy as they can be,” Noctis said with a smile as he ran his hand over his stomach.

“Hmhmm…not moving yet, I assume?” Zidane asked calmly.

“Not yet, no…”

“I’m sure they’ll start moving soon. It’s around that time when they should,” Luna assured him, as Prompto placed a hand on his omega’s stomach.

“I suppose you ha—AH!” Noctis cried out suddenly as he immediately coiled in on himself.

“Noct?!” Prompto yelped, watching his mate worriedly.

“Are you okay?” Luna frowned.

Zidane, however, watched it quietly, before he smirked. “What’s that saying? “Speak of the devil”?”

“Really Zidane?” Luna sighed, before smiling brightly at her old friend as Prompto placed his hands on Noctis’s stomach again. He then grinned when he felt three kicks, one on one hand and two against the other.

“Feels like they’re getting active,” he chuckled.

Noctis smiled warmly, resting his own hand on his stomach, over Prompto’s. “Yeah…” he murmured softly.

Zidane smirked a little, before he glanced over to Luna. “So…you thinking about your own now?”

“Yes, definitely,” Luna giggled, gaining the bonded pair’s attention.

“Wait, you mean…” Prompto trailed off.

“…! Luna…are you…?” Noctis asked her in awe, even as Zidane smirked cheekily.

“Yes, I am,” she smiled. “I’m expecting in roughly seven months, since women tend to have a nine-month pregnancy compared to men’s eight.”

“Well, congratulations, then,” Prompto told them politely.

The omega smiled warmly. “Congratulations, Luna…though I’m betting Ravus is going to be less than pleased,” he chuckled.

“He should he happy that I’m happy, so there,” Luna laughed lightly, and Prompto and Zidane joined in.

“Hahah… True,” Noctis said with a smile, gently running his fingers along his stomach, before his expression fell. “But…what about the peace treaty?”

“As far as that ‘peace treaty’ is concerned, it’s been null and void for months,” Luna huffed. “I believe Aldercapt just wants a way into Insomnia to take the Crystal.”

“That wouldn’t surprise me…” Zidane mumbled, frowning darkly.

Noctis nodded softly. “Right…so I guess we need to get ready for war then…huh?”

“Unfortunately,” Luna nodded, and Prompto growled, lightly tightening his grip on Noctis.

“I was afraid of that…” Noctis sighed out.

“…” Zidane was silent as he let rested his chin on his arms, watching the pair on the bed silently.

“Is something wrong, Zidane?” Luna asked, curious.

“…hm? Ah, nah,” Zidane said with a small shrug. “Just thinking ‘bout what to do about this situation we’re in…”

“Yeah…” Prompto sighed, holding Noctis close.

The omega sighed softly, leaning against Prompto quietly. Zidane hummed softly, before he stood up. “Anyway! I’m feeling a bit thirsty… You guys want me to get you something?”

Noctis hummed, before he murmured, “Just some water is good…”

“I’ll take water as well, thank you,” Luna smiled.

“Alrighty. Hey, Prompt, mind giving me a hand, bud?”

“Hm? Oh, uh, sure,” Prompto nodded, kissing Noctis’s cheek before getting up to follow Zidane. Grinning, Zidane briefly moved over to hug Luna, before he led the way out of the room.

“So, what’s up?” Prompto asked once the door was shut. “Did you wanna talk about something?”

“That obvious, huh?” Zidane hummed, even as he began to walk. “But yeah, there was one thing…”

“Hm?”

“Fun fact; I’ve actually been working on and off on this one mission for a few years now…” the shorter blonde said instead of answering. “The order was to find some people suspected of treason to the Line of Lucis.”

“Who?” the taller male frowned.

“…” The other blonde didn't respond for a long time, but when he did, it caused Prompto to stop dead in his tracks. “Ius and Lex Argentum.”

“Wh…what…?” Prompto breathed, horrified. His parents were being hunted down as threats to the Line of Lucis?

“Fun fact number 2,” Zidane added, holding up two fingers, “I actually tracked ‘m down a while back…and found out something interesting, too.”

“…What?”

“Rather than ‘traitors’…the term to use is ‘double agents’.”

“Huh?”

“Can’t really call it ‘traitors’ if they’re working for the enemy for the sole purpose of getting info for the opposition, now can ya?”

“Wait, they’ve been gone all this time…working as double agents?!” Prompto demanded in a snarl. “Why the hell did they abandon me, then?!”

“…” Zidane was silent for a moment, before he tugged something from his pocket and passed it to Prompto. “Here’s why.”

The taller blonde took the paper, and began to read over it, before his bright blue eyes widened in horror. “W-wait, so this is saying that…”

“…By the way…” Zidane said as he turned to Prompto…and then held up the taller blonde’s leather bracelet. “Think you dropped this.”

“How did you…?” Prompto trailed off, before he began to shake with fear as he took back his bracelet, silently clasping it around his wrist again.

“Turns out _you’re_ the reason they up and left…since they didn’t want the Niffs to get their mitts on you.”

When those words registered in his head, the taller alpha lowered his gaze to the floor, feeling like his world was crumbling around him. It was like almost everything he’d ever known in his life was a lie. And in a way, that was exactly what had happened.

He had grown up honestly believing that he was born a Lucian in Insomnia, if to different parents that he had grown up with. But if the file Zidane had just given him was true, he wasn’t, though. Hell, he hadn’t even been _born_ in a natural way; he’d been created. Worse still, he had nearly been forcibly turned into an MT, based upon this report.

The only reason why he hadn’t been turned into one, was because his dad, Lex Argentum, had managed to save him from such a fate by stealing him away and raising him in Insomnia with Ius, his mom.

“I…feel so lost…” he mumbled, his voice barely audible.

Zidane sighed as he moved over and suddenly grabbed the blonde’s shoulder, pulling him down to his level. “Look, dude,” he said simply, “whatever’s on that paper is just black ink printed on a piece of a paper. It really only holds value if you let it. I might be talking outta line, but that piece of paper don’t change _who_ you are. Ya hear?”

“…Right…” Prompto muttered, nodding softly. “I’m scared to tell Noct now, though…”

“Dude, seriously? I doubt he’s gonna give a _shit_ ,” Zidane said simply, smirking.

“You really think so…?” the taller blonde asked.

“I know so, dude.”

“Then I’ll…I’ll tell him…” Prompto murmured.

“Would be smart… Guy deserves to know that much…but keep one thing in mind…”

“Hm?”

“I’m breaking all sorts of codes by showing you that report…hell, I’m breaking codes just by _mentioning_ your folks to you during the investigation…” Zidane said firmly. “There’s a reason why you’ve never heard of this until now…and that’s because no one wanted you to know until they knew everything.”

At the words, Prompto remembered from Christmas three years ago, when he had heard Niche and Valanx mention his last name in quiet conversation. Now it made sense.

“Then why tell me at all?” Prompto frowned.

“Coz Kuj has been bugging me nonstop to bring it up to you. He’s in no position to do so ‘round the Citadel, sooo…”

“Why does he want me to know if the investigation’s not done yet, though?”

“Coz he thinks you have a right to know…” Zidane mumbled, before his expression darkened. “And one more thing…”

“What?”

“…They’re in Altissia.”

“Wait, what?! What are they doing here?!” Prompto yelped.

“That I don’t know… But that’s another reason I wanted to talk to you…” Zidane murmured. “I don’t have enough proof to get them off the hook entirely… I need help to get them to admit that they’re not doing whatever they’re doing cuz they’re on the Niffs’ side…” He paused here briefly, before he asked seriously, “You in?”

“I…I guess so…” Prompto sighed. “If it’s to prove they’re innocent…”

“Cool!” Zidane said with a grin, patting the taller blonde on his shoulder. “Now come on! Let’s get that water before they send the Kingsglaive after us and ruin everything!”

“Right,” Prompto chuckled.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

“Sorry we’re late!” Zidane called out as they walked back into the room, holding his own and Luna’s drinks. “Can you believe that server guy? Dude was talking our ears off and taking forEVER to get us these things!”

“It’s fine,” Luna smiled. “I was just feeling the babies kick, anyway.”

“You doing okay, Noct?” Prompto asked as he sat with his mate again, giving him his drink.

Noctis chuckled with a nod. “Yeah, I’m fine, don’t worry.”

“Hey, can’t blame me for worrying about you,” his alpha pointed out as Luna yawned slightly.

Noticing this, Zidane frowned. “Might be smart to head to bed, Lu… You look like you can barely keep your eyes open.”

“You’re probably right,” Luna nodded, getting to her feet. “We’ll see you boys later, then.”

“Sounds good. See you later, Luna, Zidane,” Prompto nodded.

“Later, dude,” Zidane said with a grin, before he walked out with Luna close behind. Noctis smiled softly as he silently sipped from his water. Now that they were alone, Prompto could feel himself becoming nervous, but he knew he needed to tell Noctis about what he’d learned.

“Hey, Noct?” he began.

“Hm?” Noctis hummed as he looked over, but one look at his eyes showed he was, just as Luna, getting a little tired.

“Never mind. Let’s get some rest, okay?” the blonde told him.

“Hmm…yeah, okay…” the prince murmured, before he yawned widely. Prompto smiled softly as he kicked off his boots, and then move to lie down behind Noctis, holding his omega close to himself. Purring happily and sleepily, Noctis moved closer, still, snuggling against the blonde as he slowly began to fall asleep.


	18. Chapter 18

When Prompto woke up the next morning, Noctis was still in his hold, fast asleep. The blonde checked his phone to see what time it was, and he saw it was around 9 in the morning. Knowing he needed to wake Noctis up, he kissed the back of his mate’s pale neck, murmuring, “Good morning, Noct.”

“Mmm…” Noctis groaned, blinking his eyes open. “…mm?”

“Time to wake up, love,” his alpha smiled, lightly placing his hands on the raven’s belly, smiling wider when he felt the triplets kicking.

“Oof…! Okay, okay, little ones… I get it…” Noctis chuckled, before he pushed up. “Ugh… I have a feeling they're going to be doing that a lot, now that they can move…”

“I wouldn’t be surprised. Besides, I’ll bet they’re hungry,” Prompto laughed lightly.

“I’ll bet…” Noctis agreed with a soft laugh as he scooted out of the bed.

“Want me to order some breakfast to be brought up?” the blonde offered, sitting up as well.

“Hmm… you think the room service here will be on par with Iggy’s breakfast?” Noctis asked with a small smirk.

“Probably not, but I didn’t think Ignis would cook while we’re here,” Prompto admitted.

“I don’t think he’d mind,” the omega assured.

“All right, mind texting him, then? I’ll have what you have,” his alpha said.

“Sure,” Noctis said with a chuckle, moving to text Ignis.

 

**Specs: Good morning, Noct. I assume you’re all getting hungry?**

**Me: Yep. Prom was gonna ask the staff here…but I think he’d prefer having something you made. XD**

**Specs: I’d like to think you both would.**

**Me: All five, you mean. I feel like my stomach’s being bruised from the inside… x_x**

**Specs: It just means they’re healthy, since they’re that active. As long as they’re not breaking your ribs, then you’ll be fine.**

**Me: Gee thanks…**

**Specs: Don’t worry so much, Noct. I’ll be over soon with some breakfast for you all.**

**Me: Thanks.**

 

After tucking his phone away, Noctis turned to Prompto and smiled. “He’ll be here, soon.”

“Cool,” Prompto nodded. “Did I see you tell Ignis that it hurts when they kick?”

Noctis sighed and rolled his eyes. “It’s not THAT bad… Just a bit annoying, that’s all.”

“Can’t blame me for worrying about you, Noct…” the blonde murmured, sitting with him on the bed.

“You’re such a worrywart,” the prince hummed.

“When you’re my omega, I can’t be faulted for that,” Prompto argued, pouting a little. Noctis merely hummed softly as he leaned against the blonde lazily. His alpha held him close, a soft rumble sounding in his chest, kissing the top of his head softly.

“Hmm…so?” the raven murmured suddenly.

“What?”

“So what did you want to tell me last night?”

“Oh, um…” Prompto trailed off, his nerves threatening to take hold again. “W-well… Zidane wanted to talk to me last night when we were getting drinks…”

“Hm? What about?”

“My parents…”

“…” At that, Noctis frowned and looked up, sitting back. “…what about them?”

“Apparently, the Kingsglaive have been looking into them, and Zidane was the one to track them down…” the blonde mumbled. “They’ve been seen as potential threats to the Line of Lucis… And I had no idea… Zidane told me that they told him they’re double agents against the Niffs, working for Insomnia, but now I have to help prove their innocence…since they’re apparently here in Altissia…”

“…what…?” Noctis whispered in shock. “Threats…? For what?”

“I’m not sure, but Zidane mentioned them working for Niflheim as double agents for the good of Insomnia…” Prompto muttered, before pulling out the piece of paper from his pocket the shorter blonde had given him yesterday. “And this is why they left me…”

“…?” Noctis regarded Prompto for a moment in question, before he silently took the paper from him to read it.

“Mind you, I’m not even supposed to know any of this, according to Zidane…” his alpha sighed. The prince didn’t say anything. He merely sat there and quietly continued reading. It was clear, though, the moment he reached the crux of the document, as his eyes widened in surprise. Prompto began to tremble slightly when he did, still worried despite what Zidane had said.

“…this is…” Noctis whispered softly.

“I’m…the one who was taken…from Niflheim…” the blonde breathed.

“…”

Prompto felt himself begin to shake at the silence, terrified now of what his mate thought of him. Finally, though, Noctis wordlessly reached up—and tore the paper to shreds.

“Noct…?”

“Who gives a shit?” the prince said simply. His alpha relaxed at the words, before pulling the omega into a hug.

“You have no idea how relieved I am…” he whispered.

Noctis blinked, surprised, before he snorted and turned around, so that he could take Prompto’s face in his hands. “Prom, seriously…did you think that was going to matter at all?” he murmured.

“You can’t blame me for being scared, Noct… Especially with the impending war…” Prompto mumbled. Rather than say anything else, though, Noctis moved closer and pressed their lips together firmly. The blonde kissed back lovingly, holding Noctis close to himself. Purring heavily, Noctis pressed himself closer, angling his head a little bit. However, before they could get much further, there was a knock on the door.

“Dammit…” Prompto grumbled as they parted.

Noctis sighed softly. “It’s open.”

Shortly after, Ignis came in with breakfast for them. “Good morning, you two,” he greeted, as Gladio closed the door.

“Morning,” the brunette nodded.

“Good morning, guys,” Prompto replied.

“Hey,” Noctis said simply in greeting.

“So, the little ones are getting active, huh?” Gladio chuckled as Ignis gave the couple their breakfasts.

“Yeah,” Noctis said with a smile as he placed a hand on his stomach. Prompto kissed his cheek before beginning to eat his own meal, and Ignis smiled faintly.

“When we get back, I’m sure Iris can check for the genders,” he suggested.

“That’d be nice…” the prince hummed, before he focused back on his breakfast.

“Would you want more boys, or more girls, Noct?” Prompto asked curiously, which made Noctis stop mid-bite. After moment, the prince hummed softly.

“Ah…I’m not sure…” he said thoughtfully.

“I think as long as they’re healthy, that’s what matters,” the blonde murmured, smiling softly at his omega.

“I suppose so,” Noctis agreed, smiling back at him. When they’d finished their breakfasts, Gladio sat down on one of the armchairs in the room.

“So, you guys gonna have some fun at the festival today?” he asked.

“Definitely,” Prompto grinned.

“Of course,” Noctis agreed, smiling.

“We’ll probably be looking into some things, so you two enjoy yourselves,” the larger alpha smirked, making Prompto roll his eyes.

Noctis, though, smiled with a chuckle. “No problems there. You guys enjoy yourselves, too, kay?”

“We shall,” Ignis chuckled softly. Then there was a knock on the door.

“That must be Luna and Zidane,” Prompto guessed.

“Gee, ya think?” Noctis chuckled as Ignis went to check the door.

“Good morning,” Luna smiled when the beta opened the door.

“Morning, Luna,” Prompto greeted with a smile.

“Yo people!” Zidane quipped from where he was leaning against the wall, giving them a small salute.

“Hey,” Noctis said in greeting as the pair walked into the room.

“Sleep well with the little ones becoming active?” Luna giggled, sitting in the armchair by the bed as Prompto wrapped an arm around Noctis’s shoulders, holding him close.

“Oh we slept fine…just woke up a little roughly,” Noctis said with a chuckle

“We’re gonna head out, but we’ll see you guys later,” Gladio chuckled, waving as he and Ignis left.

“Alright…later, guys,” the omega said with a smile.

“See you later,” Prompto nodded. Once the door was shut, he nodded to Zidane. “You were right, by the way.” When he finished speaking, he kissed Noctis’s temple.

Zidane laughed at those words. “See? It’s not _that_ bad,” he said casually.

“Yeah, I know, but I can’t be blamed for being scared,” Prompto shrugged. Luna blinked, before she nodded knowingly.

“So you told him about Lex and Ius?” she asked.

“Hey, he had a right to know,” the shorter blonde said with a shrug.

“I know, I know,” Luna sighed. “Probably gave him an existential crisis moment, I’m sure.”

“Yeah, he did,” Prompto snorted.

“Life's hard,” Zidane said casually. “Things like that happen.”

“Unfortunately…” Noctis agreed softly.

“Yeah, really,” Prompto mumbled.

“How about we all go out and enjoy the festival, hm? It’ll bring this bad mood right up,” Luna suggested.

“Now there’s an idea!” Zidane laughed, with Noctis smiling softly as he and Prompto stood up. Prompto linked his fingers with Noctis’s as they left, smiling softly at his omega.

“So, are you two excited for the fireworks tonight?” Luna asked, smiling as she walked with Zidane.

“Wait, there’s fireworks?”

“Yes, I’ve read about them. They’re supposed to be very picture-worthy,” Luna giggled, and Prompto grinned.

“Good thing I’ve got my camera, then!” he laughed.

This made Noctis laughed softly, and Zidane chuckled as they headed out of the hotel. “Well better get it out, then; party’s already started!”

“Going,” Prompto smirked, pulling his camera out. His jaw dropped when he saw all of the sights, though, the entire city having been decorated in Chocobo and Moogle-themed decorations. Prompto was quick to spot the Chocobos in a pen for racing, and he looked at Zidane eagerly.

“Wanna race? I’d ask Noct, but not in his condition,” he offered, kissing the top of Noctis’s head.

"Hey!" Noctis said, pouting a bit, making Zidane laugh.

“Get used to it; you’re gonna be stuck like that for a while,” the blonde chuckled, before turning to Prompto. “And sure, if you think you stand a chance…”

“Hey, it’s good fun, so why not?” the taller blonde shrugged.

“Heh. Sure, let’s go for it!”

“Awesome!” Prompto grinned, and Luna giggled before standing by Noctis as Prompto started to leave.

“I’ll take good care of him,” she giggled.

Noctis merely smiled as the two blondes moved to the place where the races were taking place. “So easily amused…” he murmured.

“At least it makes for an interesting life with him,” Luna smiled.

“True…”

As Luna watched the two blondes get ready to race, she murmured, “You’ve been stressing out a lot recently, haven’t you?”

That made Noctis tense sharply, though he tried to play it off by asking, “Why do you ask…?”

“You have bags under your eyes, sweetie,” Luna told him softly. “You can’t worry so much. It’s going to affect the lives you carry, not just your own. And I believe that’s why Prompto’s been so clingy with you. Because he’s worried about you.”

“…” Noctis sighed softly as he turned to watch his mate and Zidane getting ready to race. “…I know… I know I shouldn’t…but…it just…happens…”

“I understand, Noctis. But think of these little ones as little miracles in your lives. You wouldn’t be having them if you weren’t together,” Luna pointed out with a smile as Prompto and Zidane started racing. “As for the rumors, and yes, Zidane told me Kuja had mentioned it, Regis isn’t going to make the statement, for the sake of you and your children, in case you weren’t aware.”

“Yeah…I know… He did tell me…” Noctis sighed softly, watching as the two blondes raced across the stages with loud peals of laughter following them. “Just…sometimes I just…can’t help but worry…”

“Want to talk about it? I can probably help you so you can talk to Prompto about these things. He’s your mate, after all, and he’s more than willing to listen and help,” Luna told him.

“I know he is… that’s not the problem…” Noctis admitted, watching as Zidane had his Chocobo take a particularly dangerous leap to get some distance on Prompto, cackling as the other blonde had to redouble his efforts to keep up. “It’s just… I don’t want him to worry… he’s got enough on his plate…”

“Noctis…” Luna chided gently. “Again, he’s your alpha. You’re his whole world. He’ll always worry about you, no matter what. Ease your own fears and worries by talking with him, and he’ll always help.”

“…” Noctis didn’t respond to those words. He just watched the race progress.

“At least consider it, okay?” his old friend murmured as their mates finished their race, Prompto a split second before Zidane.

“…yeah…” he murmured, as Zidane cursed softly at the loss.

“Hah! Gotcha!” Prompto laughed as he and Zidane dismounted, returning to Luna and Noctis.

Noctis laughed softly, smiling. “Had fun there?”

“You bet!” his alpha grinned, before pausing, and then frowning. “You okay, Noct?”

“Hm? Yeah, I’m fine… why do you ask?” the prince asked curiously.

“You look…a little worried…” Prompto murmured, and Luna gave the raven a pointed look. One that said, “talk to him!”

Noctis looked at Luna dryly, before he sighed. “It’s fine…”

Zidane regarded them both for a moment, frowning, but he didn’t butt in.

“Are you sure? I wanna help…” Prompto insisted.

“I’m sure,” Noctis assured him. His alpha watched him for a few seconds more, before sighing.

“All right…” he conceded, tucking his omega into his side. “Let’s enjoy the festival, okay?”

“Right,” Noctis agreed with a nod. Zidane hummed a bit, before he walked over and once more held out his arm to Luna. Luna accepted the offered arm, hooking hers in his with a small smile.

“There’s so much to do here, where do we start?” Prompto wondered aloud.

“Good one… hmmm…” Zidane murmured softly. “How ‘bout we go see some of the musicians? Think there were a bunch of good ones coming in from all over.”

“Sounds good,” Prompto nodded, and Luna nodded as well, allowing Zidane to guide them.

It didn’t take them long to reach the Secretary’s estate, where the courtyard had been transformed into a stage area, with a small café on the opposite side. As the group walked into the courtyard, there was already a small group performing, playing an upbeat version of the Chocobo song that practically every kid knew from the back of their head.

“Huh…they’re pretty good,” Noctis murmured with a smile.

“Definitely,” Prompto agreed, holding Noctis close to him.

“Let’s go grab a seat, shall we?” Zidane said with a chuckle, as he began to lead the others toward one of the tables that was free.

Once they got to the table, Prompto helped his mate into sitting before asking, “You getting hungry, Noct? I can get you something from the café if you’d like.”

“Ah…not really…not yet anyway. Maybe later,” Noctis said with a soft smile.

“Okay,” his alpha smiled lightly, before sitting with him and holding him close as they watched and listened to the band play. Luna watched them, hoping that Noctis would actually heed her advice again and talk to Prompto about everything that was worrying him.

After a moment of listening, though, Zidane tugged on her arm, making her move over. “Whacha thinkin’ ‘bout?” he asked softly.

She glanced at the couple on the other side of the table, wordlessly answering Zidane’s question. “I don’t want Noctis to stress out so much, and he needs to talk to Prompto to help,” she whispered quietly.

“Yeah, I figured…” Zidane murmured, glancing over to them as well. “Your bud strikes me as the type to not wanna bother people too much with his problems…”

“That’s exactly what the problem is, and he needs to realize that Prompto’s here to help him, regardless of his own problems.”

“I hear ya…”

Just as he finished that, the small group of musicians finished their piece. This resulted in the spectators to cheer and applaud, to which the group bowed several times, before they took their leave from the stage again.

“Hm…not bad,” Zidane chuckled, as if he hadn’t been having a secret conversation with Luna a moment ago.

“Pretty damn good, actually,” Prompto smiled, kissing Noctis’s temple.

“Yeah,” Noctis chuckled, leaning up against the blonde a bit lazily.

As the host began to introduce the next group of musicians, Zidane hummed as he stretched his arms over his head. However, as he did, he happened to look to the side—and he gasped in surprise when he spotted something.

“What is it?” Luna asked, confused.

However, as Zidane was about to speak, the patrons around them began to clap politely, possibly to greet the new musicians. And then, surprisingly, a small red-haired boy hurried over to the stage, carrying a violin case on his back.

And he was shortly followed by a taller man with long, fire-red hair secured in nine loose ponytails; one across his forehead, two resting on his shoulders, and the remaining six hanging down his back. He carried a long, dual-necked lute along his back as his heels of his knee-length boots clicked lightly against the stone pavement, his long coat fluttering as he went.

“The hell is HE doing here…?” Zidane murmured in surprise as the man and child climbed onto the stage (the boy with some help from the older redhead).

“Who are they?” Prompto asked curiously.

“The kid, I dunno…the dude, though…” Zidane mumbled as the boy got his violin from the case, while the man reached back for his lute. “That’s one of Kuj’s old classmates from back in Geffen…”

“The kid looks a little older than Josh, actually,” Prompto commented. “I bet they’d get along well if they met.”

“Joshua gets along with _everyone_ ,” Noctis pointed out with a chuckle.

Just then, the boy had managed to get the violin up to his shoulder properly, and he looked up to the man with a bright smile. The redhead merely hummed as he plucked at the strings of his lute a few times, testing their strength for a moment, before he finally nodded. And with the okay given, the boy brought up the bow and began to play—and very well, at that.

“…Wow…” Noctis murmured, just as the man shut his eyes and began to play as well, joining in the kid’s music, perfectly in sync.

“That’s an understatement…” Prompto breathed, watching with awe in his eyes.

The song started out nice and calm, as a much slower Chocobo theme, but then, as the man paused in his strumming, the small boy suddenly picked up the pace, turning it into a fast-paced version of the same song, at which point the man once again joined in, his far too long nails plucking on the strings so rapidly that it was almost too fast to keep track of.

“…holy…!” Noctis breathed out softly.

“Damn…!” his alpha said quietly, highly impressed.

The song lasted for a good 5 minutes, and the pace kept shifting between fast and slow, and then even faster, and then, when they finally did finish with a big flourish of their hands, the entire crowd that had gathered erupted into cheers and applause. The boy was giggling while the man smirked almost cheekily, before both bowed to the crowd.

“Hasn’t changed a bit…” Zidane mumbled softly.

“Maybe we should go say hi,” Luna suggested. “As long as he’s friendly, that is?”

“Unless he’s done a complete 180… he should be…” Zidane mumbled, watching for a moment as the two of them got down from the stage. Before they could leave, though, Zidane put two fingers in his mouth and let out a very particular whistle.

This caused the man to snap his gaze over, blinking ice-blue eyes as he tried to figure out where it had come from until he spotted Zidane waving him over. It took him a moment before recognition hit him, though, at which point he smirked and reached down to tap the small boy on his head, before he began to walk over, with the boy scurrying after.

“Yo, Kurasa!” Zidane quipped as the man reached them. “What’s up, man?”

“…Zidane,” the man chuckled. “Nothing much. Wasn’t expecting you here, though…”

“Well, the feeling’s mutual," Zidane said with a smirk. Finally, though, he gestured to the others. “Anyhoo, these are Luna, Prompto, and Noct. Guys, this is Kurasa.”

The redhead hummed softly as he nodded. “Pleasure, I’m sure.”

Noctis chuckled, nodding as well in greeting.

“Nice to meet you,” Prompto greeted.

“It’s a pleasure,” Luna smiled. “And who is this little darling?” she asked, looking at the small boy.

“…” The small boy didn’t say anything as he quickly scampered behind Kurasa’s leg, clinging to his pants.

Kurasa sighed. “This kiddo’s Neku. He doesn’t talk much, though…” he mumbled.

“Yeah, we noticed,” Noctis murmured, watching the boy as he peeked out with one dark blue eye at them.

“Shy little guy, huh?” Prompto guessed with a chuckle.

“Yep,” Kurasa mumbled as he then reached down and abruptly picked the boy up, making him yelp. But Kurasa didn’t bother as he grabbed a chair and dropped down with a heavy sigh, plopping Neku down in his lap. “So… you lot here for the festival, then?”

“Gee, what gave it away?” Zidane chuckled out.

“How about you guys? Here to just play music, or to enjoy the festival as well?” Luna inquired.

“Eh. Lil bit of both…” Kurasa said with a shrug. “Mostly the former.”

Noctis tilted his head a bit at the words. “So…I take it you’re traveling performers?”

“Pretty much, yeah.”

“Maybe you should come to Insomnia sometime. We know a kid about Neku’s age that would probably help get the poor boy out of his shell,” Prompto suggested.

At that, Kurasa snorted. “I’ll wait until after the war’s passed, thank you very much,” he said, and this made Noctis flinch minutely.

“That so?” Zidane asked curiously. “You know that's not gonna be for a while, right?”

“Well aware…but I see no reason to risk my skin going somewhere only to get myself blown up.”

“Come on, Zidane’s got a point. It shouldn’t be for a while,” Prompto argued.

“My point exactly,” Kurasa said calmly. “So I’m gonna sit this out until the whole thing blows over…or until the Niffs blows themselves to the ruins of Solheim.”

Noctis blinked, before he chuckled. “Guess you’re not a fan of Niflheim, huh?”

“Nope.”

And all the while, Neku merely looked back and forth between everyone present, while still pressing close to Kurasa.

“I’m sure when it does hit, it shouldn’t last for a long time,” Luna said.

“Don’t jinx yourselves…” Kurasa said simply, making Zidane chuckle.

“Still the same old grumpy puss, ain’t ya?”

“Buzz off.”

Prompto merely chuckled at their antics, before smiling kindly at Neku, who he noticed was watching him and Noctis as he held his omega close to himself. When he noticed he was being watched in turn, the small boy frowned and tucked himself closer to Kurasa, and even tugged his jacket over him. Which, in turn, drew a small chuckle from Noctis.

“Oy… You gonna stay there all day?” Kurasa grumbled softly, but of course there was no response.

“It’s fine. You guys play really well, though,” Prompto smiled.

“Thanks,” Kurasa said calmly, as Neku peeked out from under the jacket briefly.

Noctis allowed a soft chuckle. After a moment, though, he turned to Prompto. “Hey, Prom? Could you get me a drink?”

“Of course,” the blonde smiled. “Anyone want else want anything?”

“I’m fine, but thank you,” Luna replied.

“Nah,” Zidane said with a shrug, while Kurasa shook his head negative.

“Kay. I’ll be right back,” the alpha said, before leaving to the café.

Thankfully, while the area had become increasingly busier, there were plenty of baristas to serve everyone. So he only needed to wait a minute before he could make his order.

“May I please get a coffee with cream and a tea with extra sugar?” he asked politely.

“Coming right up,” the female barista said with a warm smile, as she quickly moved to get the drinks ready. While she made the drinks, Prompto leaned against the counter to wait.

As she worked, her colleague just finished serving another patron. And once the man had walked away, the next was already stepping up. “Hello! What can I get you, sir?”

“Triple espresso and a chococino caramel,” said a calm male voice…one that was hauntingly familiar to Prompto. Immediately, the blonde stiffened, and he looked over, shocked.

“…Dad…?” he uttered.

The man, in turn, whirled around on him in turn. “Wha—Prompto?!” he choked out in surprise.

Lex Argentum had always been fairly muscular in Prompto’s memories, but, while he still was just that, he almost looked like he had lost (too much) weight, though that could just be because Prompto was older now. His dark brown hair had always been smoothed back with gel, but now his hair hung almost haphazardly along his head, and it looked like it hadn’t seen a barber in quite a while. Added to that, he looked like he hadn’t slept well in days; given the bags under his eyes.

“What are you doing here?!” Lex asked in shock.

“I’m with Noct, spending time with him. But I could ask you the same damn thing,” the blonde growled lowly.

“With who…?” the man asked slowly, before he swiftly shook it off. “Never mind… I’m here for…work,” he said, but there was a distinct pause in his voice when he said that.

“Bullshit.”

“Wha…?”

“Dad, I’m not an idiot, nor am I a kid anymore. I know damn well why you and Mom left, so don’t lie to me,” the blonde snarled.

“Wha?! Prompto, I’m not—”

“Yes, you are! Whatever reason you and Mom have for being here, it’s definitely not ‘work’! You led me into believing a bunch of lies growing up, all for me to find out you guys are being double agents!” Prompto hissed, which immediately resulted in Lex slapping a hand over his mouth, with the other going to his collar for some reason.

“Be. Quiet,” the man hissed softly. Prompto glared at him angrily, the hurt in his eyes betraying him, though. After a moment, Lex pulled away and snagged up a coaster, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a pen. He then proceeded to scribble something on it, before he slipped it toward Prompto. Prompto read the words, “I’m wired” with narrowed eyes, before they widened, but then he scoffed.

“Apparently your ‘work’ is more important than I ever was to either of you,” he spat, intense hurt in his voice, snagging up his and Noctis’s drinks from the counter when they were ready, turning on his heel to leave.

“…” Lex didn’t respond to those words, but he did sigh softly, reaching up to rub at his temples heavily.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

When Prompto returned, Noctis immediately noticed something was up. “…Prom?”

His alpha shook his head quietly, before mumbling, “We can talk about it back at the room.”

“…Alright…”

Zidane watched him quietly as he took his seat again. However, the look on his face said that he’d seen it all happen.

“Perhaps we should retire early, then. I’m sure you’d like to rest, anyway, Noctis,” Luna suggested, and Prompto was quietly grateful. Although he didn’t want to spoil the fun, he really didn’t want to sour the mood or make his omega worry about him.

“…May be smart,” Noctis agreed softly.

“In that case, you guys should take a gondola back to the hotel,” Zidane pointed out. “Should be one right down below us, and it stops right in front of the hotel.”

“Really?” Noctis asked curiously.

“Sounds good,” Prompto nodded, smiling slightly as he wrapped as arms around Noctis’s shoulders once he was standing.

“Right, might see you later, Kurasa, Neku,” Zidane said with a smile as the redhead stood up as well.

“Hmm… Who knows,” Kurasa said solemnly with a shrug, before he and Neku headed off.

Chuckling softly, Zidane looked over. “Right; let’s get you guys to the gondola shall we?”

“Kay,” Prompto said kissing Noctis’s temple as they followed Zidane and Luna to the gondola. When they got there, Luna smiled kindly at them.

“Get some rest and talk, both of you,” she said firmly.

“…Right,” Noctis said with a small nod as he climbed into the gondola.

“See you guys later,” Prompto told them, climbing in as well, and holding his mate close as they sat in the gondola. And the pair settled there, and the gondola was pushed off from the walkway, Zidane and Luna waved them off before they, too, headed for the hotel. Noctis watched them for a moment more, before he sighed and let his head rest on Prompto’s shoulder.

“Doing okay?” Prompto asked softly.

“Mmhmm.”

“Okay,” his alpha murmured, and soon enough, they ended up at the hotel. When they got back to their room, though, Prompto sighed heavily.

“…Prom?”

“Hm?”

“You okay?”

“…I…saw my dad…” the blonde mumbled, lowering his gaze to the floor.

“…!” Noctis’s eyes widened in alarm, before his expression softened and he walked over, hugging his alpha gently. “…wanna talk about it?”

“Not much to say, really… He didn’t apologize, which is what I want…” Prompto sighed, hugging the raven back. Noctis hummed softly as he rubbed Prompto’s back.

“…what if he couldn’t?”

“…I… He wrote me a note saying he’s wearing a wire…”

“See what I mean?” Noctis said softly. “If he was wearing a wire…that would mean he’s under constant supervision…maybe because they’re already suspicious of him.” Moving back briefly, he took Prompto’s face in his hands. “Perhaps the reason he didn’t apologize was because he couldn’t… Because if he did, he would put you in danger.”

“But…” the blonde trailed off, knowing his mate was probably right. “It hurts, though…” he mumbled, looking lost and hurt.

“I know, Prom… I know…” Noctis murmured, gently kissing him. “But we don’t have the whole story right now…and in this case, it’s important that we do. Kay?”

“Kay…” Prompto sighed, hugging Noctis closer. Noctis smiled, reaching up and gently running a hand through Prompto’s hair. After a few minutes of this, Prompto gave a small, humorless laugh. “I should be the one holding and comforting you, not the other way around…” he mumbled. And Noctis merely chuckled.

“Hey…didn’t I warn you I was going to one-up you at some point?”

“Still…” his alpha muttered, before letting go and going to the bed. “Come on, lie down with me for a bit.”

Noctis allowed a small smile as he moved over and settled on the bed with Prompto. His alpha then laid down after toeing off his boots, and held the omega close to himself before resting his hands on the raven’s belly, smiling warmly when he felt the triplets kicking beneath his hands.

“…I can’t wait to meet our little miracles,” he whispered.

This made the prince smile as he placed a hand on Prompto’s. “Well… I’d appreciate it if they wouldn’t constantly kick me that hard…” he murmured softly.

“I know, and I feel bad when they do, but I’m glad they’re kicking now. It makes this much more real for me, to be honest,” the blonde admitted softly. “I never thought I’d get so lucky to have someone as amazing as you as my omega…”

This made the prince chuckle softly. "Yeah, I know... I'm awesome," he joked.

“More like amazingly awesome,” Prompto laughed lightly, grinning as the triplets moved when he laughed. “Seems they like to hear their dad’s voice.”

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up,” Noctis snorted. “You’re not the one being kicked all day.”

“Sorry, love,” the blonde apologized sincerely. “I’d switch with you, if I could, just to relieve you of all the stress, I mean it.”

Noctis sighed softly as he shut his eyes, gently squeezing the blonde’s hand in his own. “It’s fine…I know…” he murmured. “But I’m afraid it comes with the territory… being royalty isn’t all it’s cracked up to be…”

“I know, but I meant I’d be the pregnant one if it was possible,” Prompto told him. “I know it’s not easy for you, after all…”

“It’s worse when expectations are so high…” Noctis murmured.

“I know…” his alpha sighed, before kissing the back of his neck. “I love you…”

“…love you, too…” the prince hummed lazily. Prompto gave a content noise, snuggling Noctis close to himself.

“Let’s get some rest, Noct,” he whispered.

“Mmm…sure…” And with that, the couple fell asleep, content.


	19. Chapter 19

The following morning, Prompto woke up feeling immensely groggy. He really didn’t want to wake up for once, but he knew he had to. He figured it was due to his dream about his parents he’d had, his encounter with his dad yesterday having brought the dream about. He was still very hurt by what his parents had done, despite their reasoning, and he wanted an apology from them for closure.

As he was thinking, his fingers had started subconsciously tracing circles on Noctis’s belly, causing the raven to wake up.

“…mmm…” the prince groaned, before he blinked his eyes open. “…Prom?”

“Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you, Noct,” the blonde said quietly.

Humming lazily, Noctis rubbed at his eyes, before he rolled around onto his back. “…what’s wrong?”

“…Thinking about my parents again…” Prompto sighed, lightly tugging Noctis so he was on his side facing the alpha, and buried his face into the crook of his mate’s neck. “…Seeing Dad yesterday… It just brought back all the hurt I felt when they left me…”

Noctis gently hugged him back. “…think Zidane knows where he is?” he asked after a moment.

“I dunno…” his alpha mumbled. “…I’d ask for you to be with me, but I don’t want to subject you to any of that…”

“Prom, you’ve met _my_ dad already… I think it’s only fair I meet yours, right?”

“Yeah, but… I don’t know how it would turn out if I see them again…”

“Ssh… I’m sure it’ll be fine…” Noctis murmured. “Getting angry won’t solve things for you… I think it’d better for you if there’s someone with you to ensure you don’t. Sound good?”

“…Okay…” Prompto nodded, hugging Noctis firmly. “I love you…”

“Love you, too…” the prince hummed, moving to kiss him gently. Prompto kissed back lovingly, glad he could have moments like this with his omega. Noctis purred into the kiss, pressing close against his mate. The blonde rumbled loudly in his chest in response, holding the raven as close as he could. As they kissed, Noctis wrapped his arms around the blonde’s back.

Prompto began to lap at Noctis’s lips after a bit, seeking entry, which was quickly granted, as the prince purred loudly. The alpha slid his tongue into the raven’s mouth, moaning at the addictive taste of his omega. Purring loudly, Noctis arched his head to the side to adjust his angle, purring heavily. Prompto chuckled lowly, his rumble becoming louder as they continued to kiss.

Whining softly into the kiss, Noctis pressed closer, with his fingers clawing at the blonde’s clothed back. The blonde slid one hand down to Noctis’s crotch, palming him through his pants, groaning softly when he felt his mate was hard. When he did, Noctis let out another whine as he broke away from the kiss for breath. “Pr…Prom…!”

“I’ll make you feel good, Noct, I promise,” Prompto smirked, tugging down Noctis’s pants and underwear, exposing his cock.

Whimpering pitifully, the prince curled his hands in the cloth of Prompto’s jacket. “Please…” he whispered.

“I know, love,” his alpha chuckled, moving down the omega’s body, pressing a soft kiss to his cloth-covered belly as he went. This drew a startled gasp from the prince, before he moaned from the back of his throat, his hands reaching up to curl in Prompto’s hair. Prompto chuckled softly, and then moved down to Noctis’s cock…right before taking it into his mouth.

“ _AAAH!_ ” Noctis quickly bit his lip to keep the noise down, but with how Prompto was working, those efforts would be thrown out the window soon enough. The blonde sucked and licked the raven’s cock, moaning deeply at the taste, before deep-throating his mate with a loud groan.

Which was enough for Noctis to let out a moan of his own as his fingers instinctively tightened their grip. He wasn’t even able to get words out; just pitiful moans and whimpers. Prompto then sucked harshly, determined to make Noctis cum. And that did it; the prince gave a loud cry as his release hit him, washing down the blonde’s throat.

The alpha swallowed it easily, before gently tugging the prince’s pants back up and moving up to lie down beside him. “Better?” he asked, kissing Noctis’s cheek. Noctis needed a few moments to breathe before he was able to answer. And even then, all he managed was a small nod. “Good…” Prompto murmured with a small smile, kissing Noctis on the lips.

The omega hummed softly into the kiss, leaning into his alpha as he did. The blonde held the prince close to him, before the triplets kicked, interrupting them, and making their father chuckle.

“Six be damned…” Noctis grumbled in mock-annoyance.

“It’s fine, Noct. We should probably get up and eat, anyway,” Prompto smiled softly. “I’ll bet they’re hungry, too.”

“I know, I know…” Noctis sighed out as he pushed himself up.

“We can fool around later, too, ya know,” his alpha pointed out with a smirk.

“…Pervert,” Noctis chuckled as he got dressed.

“Hey, you enjoy it just as much, so you have no room to talk, Noct,” Prompto snorted, slipping his boots on. He hadn’t changed last night and looked just fine still. After all, the material of his Crownsguard clothes Ignis had gifted him a couple years back with was good quality, and didn’t wrinkle easily. Noctis, however, decided to completely change his attire, this time moving to some lighter clothes that would give him some more freedom of movement in his current state.

“Do you want Ignis to fix us breakfast again?” the blonde asked.

“Hmm…let’s see what the hotel has this time.”

“Sounds good,” Prompto nodded with a smile, linking his fingers with the raven’s as they left. Noctis smiled back at him as he followed after him, keeping one hand lightly placed on his stomach. When they got downstairs to the hotel’s café, they were unsurprised to find Luna and Zidane already there, and they made their way to the two blondes. Luna smiled when she saw the pair.

“Good morning, you two,” she greeted.

“Morning,” Prompto nodded.

“Heyo,” Zidane greeted.

“Hey,” was Noctis’s response as the pair settled down on the open seats. Once they were settled, Prompto looked at Zidane.

“Hey Zidane, do you know where I could find my dad?” he asked.

Zidane’s cheery expression faded for a moment, turning serious. “…Yeah, I should be able to find him…gonna need some time, though.”

“That’s fine. I want to talk with him and Mom…” Prompto murmured.

“…Talk didn’t go well, huh?”

“As well as you can imagine after them being gone from my life for seven years…”

“Well, ya gotta keep in mind… they’re not originally from Niff turf…and even if they ain’t from Insomnia, they DID work for ‘m…and even snatched you up and away,” Zidane mumbled. “So the Niffs would be majorly suspicious of ‘m…”

“Still, I want to try and get answers,” Prompto insisted.

“I get that…so I got ya this thing,” the shorter blonde said as he tugged out a small device and tossed it to Prompto.

“What is it?” the taller blonde asked.

“It’s a disruptor. Once you activate it, it’ll shut off any electronic devices in its direct vicinity…including wires.”

“That’s awesome!” Prompto grinned. “Thanks, Zidane.”

“No prob, dude.”

“Smart move, Zidane,” Luna smiled.

“I try,” the blonde chuckled. Noctis allowed a smile at the exchange, before he looked to Prompto. His alpha took his hand in his own under the table, smiling slightly at him.

“As long as you’re with me, I’ll be okay,” Prompto assured him.

“I’m sure you will…”

“Anyway!” Zidane quipped with a grin. “What say we get you guys some food, shall we?”

“Definitely,” Prompto chuckled.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

After the four had eaten breakfast, and Ignis and Gladio had stopped by to say good morning, the small group headed back out, but this time, Zidane split off to track down Lex and Ius.

“I hope he finds them soon,” Prompto murmured.

“I’m sure he will. He’s good at what he does,” Luna giggled.

Noctis laughed softly. “Funny how an accidental meeting changed everything, huh?”

“Indeed,” Luna smiled. “I still remember when he was stealing from the Niffs that day while Ravus and I were out on the market.”

“Yeah…and I recall you mentioning him bouncing off of Ravus’s shoulders in his attempt to get away…”

“He did that?! Seriously?!” Prompto laughed.

“Yes, he did,” Luna giggled. Noctis allowed a small laugh as well, gently squeezing Prompto’s hand.

“So, where do we go from here?” Prompto wondered. “Not sure about what attractions we can go see.”

“Hmm…wasn’t there a shooting gallery set up at the arena?” Noctis wondered aloud. “How ‘bout we try that?”

“Sure, even though you know I’m gonna stomp the record, probably,” Prompto snickered.

“You’re a gunman, aren’t you?” Luna guessed.

“Yep!”

“Hahah. C’mon, let’s get to the gondola we need to take, then,” the prince said. “Ah, maybe you should text Zidane to let him know where we’re going, Luna.”

“Right,” Luna nodded, and then sent the text to Zidane. “All right, let’s go.”

“Let’s,” Noctis said with a smile as they headed off.

When they arrived, Prompto grinned. “Oh yeah, I’m definitely gonna win something good,” he chuckled.

Noctis laughed softly. “Well, knock yourself out, Prom,” he joked.

“Will do,” his alpha smirked, and the group headed over to the shooting game.

After paying for the game, Prompto got in the seat behind the giant cannon that was set up. After a few brief moments of getting used to moving its heavy weight around while moving sideways with two pedals below the seat, the game started. When the first targets popped up, he aimed the cannon and pressed the button…and watched the shot arch just out of reach. As soon as he accounted for that, though, he was quick to adjust his aim so he could hit it.

And it became a little easier once he realized that the cannon was more like a large machine gun than an actual cannon.

“He’s really good,” Luna commented as she and Noctis watched from the sidelines.

“Yep,” Noctis chuckled, watching as Prompto paused to let the cannon cool down before going right back to shooting at the targets.

“How did he get so good?”

“Partially self-taught, and partially tutored by Vesper.”

“Really now? That’s impressive,” Luna murmured. The prince merely hummed as he watched Prompto shoot down target after target. However, he started having difficulties when the targets began to show up and disappear at a faster rate, though he still managed to get a good chunk of them.

Finally, Prompto hit a high-value target, right as the buzzer sounded, ending the game. He hopped down from the seat with a grin, and headed back to his mate and Luna. “That was awesome!” he laughed.

“Yeah, you did pretty good,” Noctis said as he watched the “high score” sign change into Prompto’s score with a cheery dinging.

“Nice, you got the new high score,” Luna praised.

“Vesper trained me well, after all,” Prompto chuckled.

“Bet ya she’d be proud to hear you crushing the record,” Noctis chuckled casually.

“I’m sure she would be,” Prompto smiled, wrapping an arm around Noctis’s shoulders and kissing his temple. Suddenly…

“Heyo!” came a familiar voice from behind the pair, making them both jump before whirling around see Zidane hanging upside down from the nearest signpost with a grin.

“Holy shit, man! Don’t scare us like that!” Prompto complained, and Luna sighed.

“No need to scare them like that, Zidane,” she chided lightly.

The blonde in question merely grinned wider before he kicked off of the pole, and, with a few backflips, easily landed on the ground beside Luna. However, as he rose to his feet, his expression faded. “Well, I found ‘m…”

“And?” Prompto said, quirking a brow in question.

“…yeah, might be a lil tricky to get them alone…”

This, of course, caused a bit of confusion among the others. It was Noctis who asked, “Why?”

“Well…I’m gonna have to get those MT’s outta the picture first…”

“What?! What are they doing with MT’s?!” Prompto demanded as Luna frowned in concern.

“Other way around; the MT’s are the one hanging out around your folks…” Zidane corrected. “They seem to be transporting something, and it requires a slew of MT’s.”

“…the thing they were working on, maybe?” Noctis offered.

“Maybe… I honestly don’t know…”

“Hard to say…” Luna agreed.

“Is there any way to get rid of them?” Prompto asked.

“Hmm…” Zidane murmured. “…I might have an idea, yeah…”

“Whatever it takes,” Prompto said.

“…Alright,” the blonde said with a small nod. “C’mon…let’s get back, then.”

“Right,” Luna nodded, and they took the gondola out of the stadium. Once they were back, Prompto looked to Zidane in silent question.

Rather than answer, Zidane took out a map of the area, which he passed to Prompto to hold so he could point out locations. “Right… they should be coming through this area…” he mumbled, pointing to the houses to the west of their current position. “Think they’re heading over to this little dock over here…” he added, as he gestured to the area he meant.

“Gotcha. So how do we get rid of the MT’s?” Prompto asked.

“ _You_ don’t. I will,” Zidane said simply as he folded the map and shoved it against Prompto’s chest. “You just make sure you get there.”

And before Prompto could react, Zidane hurried off—and in less than a minute he’d scaled the side of the nearest building and was up on the roof, rushing along them.

“Wow…he’s fast…” Noctis mumbled.

“That’s how good he is,” Luna smiled. “Now get going, both of you.”

“Let’s go, Noct,” Prompto told the raven, before they headed off to the location his parents and the MT’s were headed to.

It didn’t take them that long to reach the area that Zidane had pointed out. When they did, they quickly spotted Lex and Ius—easily differentiated by her dark brown hair secured in numerous braids down her back—accompanied by about 5 MT’s. Lex was carrying some kind of heavy case, while the other hand was holding Ius’s hand.

“…? Prom…” Noctis whispered softly. “She’s shaking…do you see?”

“Yeah…” Prompto frowned, worried now. He’d only noticed that once, that night his parents had left, and he knew she was scared. ‘ _Come on, Zidane… Please hurry…_ ’

Just then, there was a metallic ting, which came from a rock hitting one of the MT’s in the head. It instantly turned toward where the stone had come from and began to lumber off, leaving the others to escort the two people.

However, just as the MT reached the area, it got yanked into the bushes, where a dull, metallic clang resounded from it. And then the blonde scampered off through the bushes, almost unnoticed.

“Nice, four more to go,” Prompto murmured.

“He’s good…” Noctis said softly.

As the pair continued to watch, they soon spotted Zidane clambering up a pole further up ahead, where he proceeded to perch quietly. And then, as the group walked by, he jumped off the pole, drawing out a pair of daggers as he came down. And the moment he did, both daggers slammed down into the back of the MT’s necks, taking them out instantly as they smashed down against the ground.

This, of course, caused the remaining two MT’s to whirl around while Lex and Ius jumped in alarm (with Ius giving a half-strangled scream), but Zidane merely grinned as he leaped back. “Catch me if you caaaan~” he laughed, before he bolted off, with the MT’s rushing after him.

“Well that works…” Noctis murmured.

“Whatever does…” the blonde at his side agreed.

As the MT’s went around a corner, Ius whimpered audibly, before she crumpled to her knees.

“Ius!” Lex cried out as he swiftly crouched down by her side and placed his arms around her shoulders.

“Mom…!” Prompto gasped, before looking at Noctis. “Let’s go!” Without waiting for a reply, he helped Noctis along, and they hurried to his parents. “Mom?”

The woman was gasping for air while she tried not to choke on sobs, as Lex tried to calm her down, but it didn’t seem to help at all. Lex looked up briefly at Prompto and he clearly wanted to say something, but he bit back his words as he looked back to Ius.

Noctis frowned sadly, before he looked to Prompto. “Prom…use it!”

“Right,” the alpha nodded, before pulling out the disruptor from his pocket and activating it. “Mom, it’s fine now… They won’t hear anything…”

Those words clearly startled Lex, given that he looked up with a surprised stare, but he wasn’t able to get a word out, since Ius let out a choked cry just then, as her shaking got significantly worse.

“Mom…” Prompto murmured, crouching down by her side and hugging her firmly. “It’s okay now…”

Ius gasped for breath as she whimpered softly, just before she wailed and hugged the blonde back firmly, sobbing loudly as she buried her face in his neck.

“Sssshhhh…” the blonde shushed her softly, rubbing her back soothingly. “It’s okay, Mom, I’m here…”

Noctis merely stayed back for the moment, watching as the woman clung to his mate, as Lex also reached over and gently rubbed the woman’s back along her shoulder blades. After a moment, though, he looked around and frowned. “Prom…we should get out of sight…”

“Right. Do you think the Leville will be okay?” Prompto asked. “We’d be in privacy there.”

“…normally, yes, but it’s too far away…” Noctis pointed out. “They’d find us before we could reach it…”

“Damn, good point… See anywhere we can take cover for now, then?”

“…” Looking around briefly, Noctis spotted a nearby building that appeared to be abandoned at a glance. Or at least empty. “Over there,” he said, pointing.

“Okay,” the blonde nodded, before looking at Ius. “Come on, Mom… We’re going somewhere safe for now, okay?”

Ius wasn’t able to respond, though she did manage to nod slowly. After helping her up to her feet, both Lex and Prompto moved after Noctis toward the building, with Ius staggering along. When they got there, Prompto sat with her on an old couch that was in the building, shushing her softly.

“It’s okay now, Mom, I promise…” he murmured. The only thing Ius could do was hiccup softly amidst her sobs, biting her lip as she sat there, clinging to her son as if he was the only thing keeping her alive. Noctis didn’t mind at all. He merely watched and waited quietly.

Lex, meanwhile, silently set the hefty case he’d been lugging around on the nearby table, groaning in something like exhaustion. Prompto continued to soothe Ius, rubbing her back calmly. “I’m here now, okay?” he told her.

Finally, though, Ius was able to calm down…a little bit. And the first thing she said was, “Prom…oh Six I’m so…SO sorry…!” choking on almost every word. Prompto bit his lip guiltily, knowing Lex had told her of their encounter yesterday.

“I know, Mom… I know why now, though…” he murmured, holding her close.

Lex sighed heavily as he dropped himself down on the nearest chair. “Damnit…” he mumbled, running a hand through his hair. “If…if there’d been any other way…we…we would’ve…”

“I’m sorry I got so mad yesterday, Dad…” Prompto sighed, looking at him. “It just…it hurt still… I was alone for a while… But now, I have Noct with me…”

“No…no, if anyone has to apologize…it’s on us…” Lex sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. “Just…there was no way around it that…that we could see that’d ensure _your_ safety…”

“I know, I know that now…” the blonde murmured. Listening to Ius continue to make a feeble attempt to calm down, however, he got an idea. “Hey, Mom?” Ius blinked, slowly, looking up at the blonde with bloodshot eyes. “I want to introduce you to someone very special to me,” he told her. Looking at Noctis with a soft smile, he waved him over. And once the raven had come over, he said, “This is my mate, Noctis.”

“Your…!” Ius choked out in surprise, staring at Noctis briefly.

Noctis, however, merely smiled warmly. “Nice to meet you, Ma’am,” he said politely.

“Sit down with us, Noct. You shouldn’t be standing for too long, ya know,” his alpha chided lightly, scooting over enough to give the omega room to sit down.

Noctis laughed softly as he sat down next to Prompto, holding a hand to his stomach as he did. When Ius realized why he did this, she gasped. “Prom…you didn’t…!”

“Yeah, I did,” Prompto chuckled. “And we’re expecting triplets, too.”

Ius made a sound then that didn’t really have a name, but it sounded kind of like a squeak and a squeal mixed into one, though she quickly covered up her mouth with both hands. And, judging from her expression, she looked like she was about to cry again.

“See, Mom? I’m not alone, and I haven’t been for a few years now. I’m happy with Noct,” the blonde smiled, wrapping an arm around Noctis’s shoulders and kissing his cheek.

It wasn’t immediately clear what Ius thought of the whole scenario, but when she removed her hands (minutely), it was clear that she was smiling. “My little baby’s all grown up!” she nearly sobbed, before she reached out and hugged him firmly. “I’m so proud of you!”

“Mom…” Prompto murmured, before hugging her back.

Lex gave a small laugh, as he stood up and moved over, patting Prompto on his shoulder. “You did good, Prompto,” he said him softly.

“I’d like to think so. I’m lucky to have Noct in my life,” the alpha told him. Noctis laughed softly, smiling, as Ius finally let go of his mate. Once his parents had settled a bit, Noctis reached out for Prompto’s hand, squeezing softly. Nodding slightly and lightly squeezing back, Prompto looked at his parents and asked, “So, what have you guys been working on?”

At that, Lex’s expression turned slightly dark, and Ius flinched, before she bit her lip. After a while, Lex sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. “Where to even start…?”

“Well…the start would be a nice place,” Noctis pointed out, which actually made the older man laugh softly. Prompto smiled upon hearing his dad laugh, before wrapping an arm around Noctis’s shoulders and holding him close.

“I suppose you have a point…” Lex admitted as he took a seat. “Well…long story short… we managed to find some minor evidence that the Niffs were trying to develop some type of new weapon…”

“What kind of weapon?” Prompto frowned.

“That’s the thing… at the time, we didn’t know, so we had to figure out more,” Lex explained, with a sigh. “But there’s only so much we can do from inside Insomnia…”

“And that’s why you guys left, huh?” the blonde guessed.

“I initially tried to get things sorted out without actually leaving Lucis behind…” Lex said softly. “But…yeah, the only way to get a good grip on what they were doing…was being right there…”

“I get it…” Prompto sighed, before grunting as his scar spasmed briefly. It hadn’t acted up in a couple of years now, but he had a feeling all of the recent stress was making it act up.

“Prom?!” Noctis gasped, reaching out for his mate worriedly, as Ius asked “Prompto, are you…!?” at the same time.

“Y-yeah, just my scar, Noct… Probably from the recent stress,” the blonde mumbled, rubbing at it a little. Nodding softly, Noctis reached around and placed his hand on the blonde’s scar under his shirt, letting his magic siphon into his back. After a minute, Prompto sighed in relief. “Thanks, Noct,” he murmured. Noctis nodded softly, briefly squeezing the blonde’s hand. Then the triplets kicked a little, as though they wanted to show they were there for their father, too.

“I’m okay now,” Prompto smiled, placing his hands on Noctis’s belly.

“What…?” Ius uttered slowly, which made Noctis smile.

“Ah…the triplets are kicking, that’s all,” he said. This in turn, made Ius gasp softly in awe. “…do you want to feel?”

“Ah…c…can I?” the woman asked hesitantly.

“Of course, Mom,” Prompto chuckled, standing up so Ius could feel them.

Though Ius continued to look worried, Noctis smiled as he took her hand and pressed it against his stomach. And then, as the triplets kicked once again, making the woman gasp in shock…before a small, watery smile appeared on her face.

Lex smiled a little at the sight, before he turned serious and moved over to Prompto. “Prompto…”

“Yeah?”

“What exactly did you mean by ‘scar’?”

“Ah… Well, after you and Mom left, I…I tried learning how to wield a sword, but I got struck with one during an intense training session… I ended up in the hospital,” Prompto admitted quietly. “Sometimes the scar from it acts up… But it hadn’t for a couple of years until now.”

Lex flinched at the words, before his expression saddened. “Fuck…” he hissed softly. “Prom…I’m so sorry…this…we shouldn’t have done any of this crap…”

“Dad, I’m fine now. Besides, if you guys hadn’t left, I wouldn’t be with Noct now. And…I’m really happy with him. I wouldn’t change things at all,” the blonde told him.

“Yeah, but…still…”

“Everything happens for a reason, Dad, I know this is how things were supposed to go, so don’t worry,” Prompto assured him with a smile.

“…” Lex looked like he wanted to say something else, but in the end, he only smiled. “Sometimes I wonder what we did to deserve you, yanno?”

“Apparently save me from being turned into an MT and raised me right,” Prompto chuckled.

“Hahah…I guess so…” Lex chuckled softly.

“What do you think, Mom?” Prompto asked Ius, looking at her.

Ius was smiling lightly as she’d been talking with Noctis about, probably, the triplets, but she clearly hadn’t heard the earlier talk between Lex and Prompto, as she looked at him curiously when the blonde called out. “Huh?”

“What do you think of the triplets?” the alpha asked with a chuckle, seating himself on the edge of the couch.

Ius seemed to consider her words, before she smiled warmly. “Well…they definitely seem to have your spunk.”

“Yeah, no question there,” Noctis agreed with a small laugh.

“Not surprising, all things considered,” Prompto laughed as well, kissing Noctis’s cheek. Lex laughed softly, while Noctis smiled as he settled against Prompto.

“What’s that case for, anyway, Dad?” the blonde asked as he held his mate close.

“Hmm…?” Lex glanced over to the case for a moment, frowning softly. “Oh…that?” he mumbled. “That’s…basically what the Empire’s been busy with…”

“Really? What is it?”

“Well…”

 

X*X(Meanwhile…)X*X

Meanwhile, Zidane was fairly much cackling quietly as he watched the MT’s down below on the streets searching for him. And all the while, they seemed to have completely forgotten about their original objective.

“Welp, shows why they’re stupid hunks of junk,” Zidane chuckled as he hopped up on the roof and then hurried on back the way he’d come from originally. He had to get back to the others, because he was pretty sure that they wouldn't be safe there forever.

And that was confirmed when he spotted a few normal Imperial soldiers heading in the same direction.

‘ _Shoot! Gotta hurry!_ ’ he thought as he picked up the pace so he’d be able to make it there on time. Thankfully, he managed to reach it in time, and reached into his pocket and put a small transmitter in his ear.

“Is it really okay for me to take it?” Prompto asked.

“The plan was originally to escape with it to Insomnia with the only working set…” Lex said firmly, “but that was thrown out of the window cuz of…well, you know…”

Zidane hummed softly, frowning. “So they did finish whatever it was, huh…” he murmured.

“Yeah…” Prompto murmured.

“So… you just keep it safe, and we’ll deal with the Empire from here on.”

“Wait… You’re gonna go back?” Noctis asked worriedly.

“I’m afraid so… Someone’s going to have to get those designs thrown out…” Lex sighed.

“Still… I want you guys to come home soon, please?” Prompto pleaded softly.

“Don’t worry… We’ll finish this quick. Promise.”

“Okay…” Prompto murmured. “Just...please, be careful. I don’t want to lose you again...”

“You won’t. I swear.”

Zidane hummed, leaning against the wall as he waited. They were clearly wrapping up, so no use in jumping in just yet.

“Thank you…” Prompto told them softly. “After all, I want our children to know their grandparents. We’ll see you soon, in Insomnia.”

“Don’t worry. We wouldn’t want to miss it for the world,” Lex assured.

“You boys take care, you hear?” Ius said worriedly.

“Yes, of course,” Noctis said with a smile in his voice.

Prompto got up, and hugged Ius first, murmuring, “I love you, Mom,” before letting go and going to Lex and hugging him, too. “Love you, Dad.”

“Love you too, sweetheart,” Ius said sincerely, while Lex patted him on the back as they hugged.

“You take care, son,” he said kindly, ruffling the blonde’s hair. “I promise, we’ll be back soon.”

“All right,” the alpha nodded, stepping back to Noctis. “I’m holding you both to that.”

Lex nodded softly, and he patted Prompto on the back once more as Ius quickly hugged Noctis goodbye. “C’mon, Ius…we have to get going…”

“Right…”

“We’ll see you soon,” Prompto murmured as they left. Lex merely nodded, as he and Ius hurried off.

Once they had, Noctis smiled and turned to Prompto. “They’re good people…”

“Yeah…” the blonde nodded, before sighing heavily. “I really hope they’ll be okay…”

“Eh. I’m sure they’ll be fine,” a familiar voice called from the doorway, just as Zidane stepped through the door. “All done?”

“For now, yeah,” Prompto replied. “Dad gave me what the Niffs have been working on.”

“Yeah, I heard,” Zidane said as he came over. And then he snatched the disruptor from the blonde’s pocket. “I had a mic popped in here, too.”

“Ah, gotcha,” the taller blonde nodded. “I just can’t help but worry about them. I hope using the disruptor didn’t ruin their plans…”

“Maybe…but at least now they’ll have a place to return to,” Zidane pointed out.

“True,” Prompto smiled lightly.

“Anyway…we gotta get moving,” Zidane said seriously. “Niffs are coming and you can imagine we DON’T want them to find us here…”

“Right… let’s go,” Noctis agreed.

“Yeah,” the blonde murmured, linking his fingers with Noctis’s. Nodding, Zidane led the way toward a more secure area of Altissia, while staying out of sight of the Imperial forces that were starting to roll in.


	20. Chapter 20

After catching up with Luna later that day, they had all tried to ignore the presence of the Imperial soldiers in the city. Thankfully, they all seemed to keep themselves out of sight of the actual festival. This allowed them to relax at least a little bit, and prevented Noctis from getting too stressed out, which, in all honesty, was in the triplets’ best interest.

Still, that didn’t stop the couple from worrying about Lex and Ius. They didn’t see them at all over the next few days, and there was no way to tell if they were alright. However, in the end, they decided to put their faith in them, and focused instead on simply having a good time at the festival.

A few days later, it was the final day of the festival, and Prompto woke up first, as usual. He was spooning Noctis, once again, and he smiled softly before kissing the back of the raven’s neck.

“Good morning, Noct,” he murmured, nuzzling his neck.

And as always, Noctis hummed lazily, before he blinked his eyes open. “…mmm?”

“Time to wake up, love. It’s the last day of the festival,” his alpha murmured.

“Mmm…already?” the omega whined softly, but he did reach up to rub the dust from his eyes.

“Yep. We’ll get to enjoy the fireworks tonight, remember what Luna said?” Prompto smiled.

“Right…” Noctis murmured as he pushed himself up. The blonde smiled as he did the same, kissing Noctis’s cheek.

“Let’s get some breakfast at the café, and we’ll find Luna and Zidane to meet with them,” he said. Noctis hummed lazily as he nodded, getting up to get dressed. Prompto slid out of bed as well, throwing on his Crownsguard clothes, and then waiting for his mate to finish getting dressed. Once the raven had gotten dressed, Prompto linked his fingers with Noctis’s as they headed out and down to the café.

When they arrived, it didn’t take them long to spot the other couple at one of the tables. Zidane spotted them first and he grinned, waving them over. When they arrived, it didn’t take them long to spot the other couple at one of the tables. Zidane spotted them first and he grinned, waving them over.

“Good morning, boys,” Luna smiled.

“Morning, guys,” Prompto greeted as they joined them.

“Morning,” the prince said with a nod. “Any news?”

“Eh. Nothing major, really,” Zidane said with a shrug.

“Damn, I was hoping…” Prompto sighed.

“Try not to worry so much, Prompto. I’m sure they’ll make it home,” Luna assured him. Noctis frowned softly, before he reached out and squeezed Prompto’s hand. The alpha smiled slightly back at him, squeezing back gently.

“Just…can’t help but worry…” he mumbled.

“It’ll be okay…” Noctis murmured, smiling up at his mate.

“I know, just gotta keep going until they come home,” the blonde nodded, kissing the top of Noctis’s head.

“Well now that you boys are here…ready to get some breakfast?” Zidane asked with a grin.

“Hahah. Yeah, sure.”

“Definitely,” Prompto smiled, and they soon placed their orders and ate. Once finished, Prompto looked at Noctis. “Not sure what we should do until the fireworks, to be honest…”

“Actually…” Zidane said with a grin, pulling out a flyer. “You boys might enjoy this one.”

“A Moogle seeking photo hunt?” Prompto said, looking at the flyer. “Actually, this should be fun! What do you think, Noct?”

Noctis laughed. “That should be right up your alley, yeah.”

“Hell yeah!” the blonde grinned.

“Well, you boys have fun, then,” Luna giggled.

“That won’t be a problem, I’m sure,” Noctis said with a smile.

Prompto chuckled at that, and then got to his feet. “Ready, Noct?”

“Yeah, let’s go,” Noctis agreed, nodding as he let Prompto pull him to his feet.

Prompto then led Noctis out, and they began their hunt. Once they had gotten the clues, Prompto murmured, “So…where should we start?”

“Hmmm… One of the clues hints at going on a boat ride,” Noctis said calmly. “Maybe there’s one at the docks along the rivers?”

“Probably. Let’s go check it out!” Prompto nodded, and the couple headed to the nearest dock. Sadly, that one was a bust. But before they could leave…

“Ah! Prom, look! On the gondola!”

“Huh?” the blonde uttered, before looking at the gondola Noctis was pointing at. “Oh!” He then lifted his camera and snapped a picture of the Moogle on the gondola before it got too far. “There we go!”

“Well, that was an evil placement of a plushie…” Noctis mumbled with a half-chuckle.

“Yeah, really,” Prompto snorted. “Imagine if it fell off, though!”

“Yeah…how’d you be able to finish then?” Noctis agreed, before he went back to the hints. “Anyway…the next one…huh. I get the feeling this one’ll be on a statue of some sort.”

“Let’s try going there,” Prompto said, pointing on the map to where a balcony was located. “Maybe it’ll be on one of the statues there.”

“Right.”

After climbing the stairs up to the balcony (and narrowly dodging a guy in a Kenny Crow costume), they spent a few moments looking around. And then…

“Oh, there he is,” Noctis said, gesturing to the building across from them…which had a statue carved into its side and had a plushie settled in front of it.

“I got it,” the blonde nodded, snapping a picture of it. “Good eye, love.”

Noctis merely smiled as he pulled out the hint sheet again. “Okay next is…” he murmured, before he frowned. “Hm… Not sure, actually…”

“Well, let’s kinda wander, and I’m sure we’ll spot it,” Prompto suggested.

“Sounds good,” Noctis agreed, accepting the blonde’s arm as it was held out to him.

And like that, they began to wander around Altissia, stopping on occasion as they spotted some small attractions that seemed interesting. They usually just ended up draining their wallets a bit, which wasn’t even the biggest issue, really. However, they did end up finding several more Moogle plushies scattered about at seemingly random spots, though one of them was actually way out in the open for everyone to see.

“Looks like we’re just missing one more,” Prompto remarked as they sat down for a bit.

“Yeah… Go figure the last one’s the hardest to find…” Noctis murmured.

“Yeah, but I’m sure we’ll find it,” his alpha assured him.

“Yeah…” After a moment, Noctis turned to Prompto. “Can we get something to eat? These little ones are starting to complain…”

“Absolutely,” Prompto chuckled, and they began to head to the café. As they got close, however, the blonde happened to look by the sign. “Hey, there’s the last one!” he grinned, pointing. He then pulled out his camera and snapped the last picture.

“Huh…? Oh for…!” Noctis laughed. “Of course… LAST place you think to look…”

“I know, right? At least we got them all,” Prompto chuckled. “So, how about we get you that snack, and then we’ll turn in the pictures?”

“Sounds good,” Noctis said with a smile. After they had gotten their snacks, and had turned in the pictures, they got enough medals for three Moogle plushies, one for each of the triplets.

“Mmmm~ So soft!” Noctis hummed happily as he hugged one of the plushies close.

“I’m sure the triplets will love them,” Prompto chuckled, adjusting his grip on the other two to hold Noctis close to his side. The omega smiled warmly as he settled against Prompto, letting the blonde lead him down the streets of Altissia. Fortunately, it was starting to get dark out, so the alpha began to guide him back to the Leville, where the fireworks were to take place.

“Mmm…maybe we should drop off the Moogles…” Noctis murmured softly.

“Good thinking,” Prompto nodded, and they headed back to their room to drop off the Moogle plushies. After they’d set up the Moogles, Noctis regarded the three plushies for a moment. “You okay, Noct?” his alpha asked softly.

“…yeah.”

“Whatcha thinking about?”

“…just…”

“Hm?”

“…it’s going so fast…”

“The pregnancy?” Prompto guessed, wrapping his arms around Noctis’s waist from behind and holding him against his chest.

“…yeah…”

“I know, love… But I know everything will be okay. Trust me on that, okay?”

“I know… I trust you…”

“Good,” the blonde smiled. “Now, let’s go see those fireworks and I’ll take a few pictures, okay?”

“Mmm…sounds good…” Noctis said with a soft smile. Prompto chuckled, and then they headed out to go see the fireworks. As they arrived at the small dock, Noctis looked up to the darkening sky quietly.

“Hello, Noctis, Prompto,” Luna’s voice greeted as she and Zidane joined them. “Have fun with the hunt?”

“Yeah, it was nice,” Noctis said with a smile.

“Coolio,” Zidane chuckled. “Get anything interesting from the prize pool?”

“Yep! We got a few Moogle plushies for the triplets,” Prompto told them.

“Nice,” Zidane chuckled. “Bet they’ll like that. Anyhoo! Shall we get on the gondolas?”

Noctis laughed softly. “Sounds good.”

“Definitely,” Prompto nodded, holding Noctis close as they headed to the gondolas. Upon reaching them, the two couples each boarded their own gondola, getting comfy before the small boats were pushed out onto the lakebed. Prompto smiled eagerly as he got his camera ready, preparing himself to take a lot of pictures of the fireworks.

And Noctis merely smiled as he looked up to the skies, watching the fireworks explode into a burst of color. There were, of course, the usual types of fireworks that burst apart in a rain of single colors, but they were often closely joined by those with multiple colors, even though they were much smaller. Then there were also the Chocobo and Moogle themed fireworks, and they could almost swear to hear the tell-tale chirps of “Kweh~” and “Kupo~” amidst the explosions.

It was, in one word, beautiful to watch.

Prompto was in awe, even as he snapped picture after picture of the fireworks, before snapping a couple pictures of his omega as the light from the fireworks reflected in those steely blue eyes, the awe on his face clear to anyone watching. This wasn’t noticed by Noctis initially, but when he did glance over, he hummed curiously.

“A picture-perfect moment,” was the simple reply, before the blonde kissed him.

Noctis blinked, before he allowed a smile. “Idiot…” he murmured fondly as he kissed him back.

“But you love me anyway,” Prompto chuckled, holding the raven close as they returned their attention back to the fireworks, the finale starting.

And it was a good thing they did, because just then, at least fifteen different fireworks shot up in straight lines, before exploding in a rain of color, followed by two more fireworks. And when they exploded at roughly the same time, it showed a Moogle riding on top of a Chocobo.

“Wow…!” Prompto gasped as he snapped a quick shot of it in the nick of time.

“Very nice,” Noctis chuckled softly.

Finally, the fireworks came to an end, and the alpha stretched his arms over his head with a soft groan before pulling Noctis up against him. “Amazing, huh?” he commented as he kissed the top of the raven’s head.

“Hmhmm…” the omega hummed lazily.

“Getting tired, Noct?” Prompto asked softly.

“Hmm…maybe a little…”

“Well, let’s get you back to the hotel and into bed, then. After all, we’re going home tomorrow,” his alpha murmured.

At those words, Noctis sighed. “Do we _have_ to?”

“Unfortunately,” Prompto told him. “We need to go home at some point, Noct…”

Noctis sighed softly, before he nodded. “Fine…”

“Sorry, love…” the blonde apologized softly, kissing Noctis’s temple. The prince merely hummed as he settled against Prompto as the gondola returned to the Leville. When they got back, Luna and Zidane met back up with them.

“Getting tired, Noctis?” Luna smiled sympathetically.

“Little bit…” Noctis murmured.

Zidane laughed softly at the words. “Well, better get to bed, then,” he said with a grin. “We’ll see you guys tomorrow morning, a'ight?”

“Mmm… sure.”

“Thanks, guys. See you in the morning,” Prompto nodded, guiding Noctis into the Leville and to their room. Once in their room, the alpha hummed as he led his mate to the bed and sat down with him. “Did you have fun here, Noct?”

“Hmhmm…”

“Good,” Prompto smiled. “Let’s get you changed and then sleep, all right?”

“Sure…” Once he’d said that, the blonde got up, and helped Noctis change into a baggy t-shirt and loose pajama pants, and then stripped down to his own boxer briefs before climbing back into bed behind his omega, holding him close.

“Goodnight, Noct. I love you,” Prompto murmured, kissing the back of his neck softly.

“Mmm… Love you, too…” the raven murmured sleepily. “G’night…”

And with that, the couple fell asleep together. But what they didn’t realize, was that someone else was in the room with them…

“Pireh~” came the cheerful chirp as Carbuncle hopped onto the bed as well. And then, after briefly nudging Noctis’s cheek, he settled on the pillow, the crystal on his forehead glowing again.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

When Prompto woke up, it was to something jumping onto him and jolting him awake with a yelp.

“Hi Daddy!” came a familiar little boy’s voice with a giggle. Prompto looked down at his lap, and saw the same little boy from the last time he and Noctis had dreamed together.

“Heya sweetie,” he chuckled, ruffling the boy’s hair and making him squeal.

“Rar!!” came a sudden shout as another familiar face leaped on top of the blonde. And meanwhile, the third child crawled over, giggling. Prompto chuckled as they clambered around him.

“Hiya princess, sunshine,” the blonde smiled.

“We’s going to the fessivals now?”

“Yeah, we just gotta wake up Papa,” Prompto chuckled, looking at his sleeping mate. “Noct, time to wake up,” he said.

“Mmm…too early…” Noctis groaned.

The kids all pouted at the words, before they looked at each other, smiling broadly. And they all bounded on Noctis with excited cries, making the prince yowl in surprise as he shot up. “Wha…?”

“Morning, Papa!” the triplets cheered merrily.

“Morning, Noct,” Prompto added with a soft laugh. Blinking in surprise, Noctis looked at Prompto briefly, before he looked back to the kids.

“Papa! Fessival! Fessival!!” the small raven cheered.

“Papa! Up up!” the small blonde girl joined in.

“We wanna see da Cocos! Up!” the blonde boy chimed in.

Noctis laughed softly, smiling. “Alright, alright…I’m up,” he said warmly. “Let’s go and get dressed, kay?”

“Yaaaaay!!”

“There we go,” Prompto chuckled, and he slid out of bed. “We’re going.”

The kids continued to cheer as they hopped out of bed, scrambling after their parents happily. It took them only a few minutes to get dressed, though a little longer than normal with how excited the kids were. Once Prompto and Noctis were both dressed, the blonde looked at the triplets.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Yep yep!!” the small raven cheered, while the blonde girl nodded with a cheery, “Uh-huh!”

“Le’s go!” the blonde boy grinned.

“All right,” Prompto chuckled.

Noctis allowed a smile, before he held out one hand. “Alright; let’s head out.”

“Yay!” the small raven cried, as she reached out and grabbed Noctis’s hand, with her sister grabbing her hand in turn. Their brother grabbed the blonde girl’s free hand, and then took Prompto’s in his other, and then they left for the festival. As they walked, the kids were squealing and cheering at all the sights and sounds, bouncing on their feet.

“Cocos! Cocos!” the small blonde girl chirped brightly as they came by the race tracks.

“So fast!” the boy gasped when a pair ran by on the track.

“Wah!! So cool!!” the other girl cheered, but they were stopped from running off by their parents.

“Careful; don’t want to lose you three,” Noctis said.

“Awww…”

“Well, you don’t wanna be without us, right?” Prompto asked.

“Uh-uh!” the boy replied, shaking his head.

“No’s…” the other blonde squeaked.

“Sowwy…” said the raven.

“It’s okay,” Noctis assured. “Shall we go play some games?”

“Yeah! Le’s go le’s go!”

“We’re going, we’re going,” Prompto chuckled.

Like that, they family walked around Altissia, with the kids playing all the games more than once, whining when they couldn’t win it, before their parents would assist, helping them win and restoring their mood again. They spent a lot more money on the games than the adults had done on their own, which, again, was not an issue.

“Papa! Can we gets Coco plushies?” the small raven asked suddenly.

Blinking, Noctis wasn’t sure what to say at first, before he smiled. “Don’t you already have a plushie?”

“Not a Coco plushie!!”

“Come on, let’s get them each one, Noct,” Prompto smiled, lightly ruffling the little raven’s hair.

“Hmm…well alright,” Noctis finally conceded.

“Yaaay!” the small blonde girl cheered. The blonde boy grinned widely, hugging Noctis’s leg in thanks.

Noctis smiled warmly, as they walked over to the corresponding stall. “Alright…” he said, lifting the two girls in his arms. “So…which one you want?”

“I wans dat one!” the boy cried out, pointing at a Chocobo plushie that appeared to be wearing armor.

“Dat ones!” the small raven cried at the same time, pointing to a Chocobo plushie wearing a purple cape and a yellow pointy hat.

The last girl didn’t say anything for a moment, before she pointed to a Chocobo wearing a white and red kitty robe. “Kitty Coco!”

“All right,” Prompto smiled warmly, before exchanging the required medals for the three Chocobo plushies. Once he had them, he passed the correct plushie to each child. “There ya go,” he chuckled.

“Tank yous!” the blonde boy grinned happily.

“Yay! Tankies!” the small raven cheered.

And the small blonde girl snuggled her new plushie while saying, “Tank yous…”

“You’re welcome,” Prompto smiled.

Noctis smiled as he moved down to set the girls back on their feet. “Now…stay close, okay? You don’t have your hands free now.”

“Kay, Papa!”

Prompto chuckled softly at the exchange, before falling into step with Noctis and the triplets as they continued on through the festival. Noctis smiled softly as the kids toddled along, each of them hugging their new plushies close, giggling and cheering. As they walked, beginning to head back to the Leville, Prompto took Noctis’s hand in his, smiling softly at him.

Glancing over, curiously, Noctis seemed a bit confused, before he smiled, after which he looked back to the kids. As they reached the Leville, the kids yawned, one by one.

“Looks like you three need a nap,” Prompto chuckled.

“Nu nap!” the small raven whined, even though she looked about ready to fall asleep on her feet.

“You’re about to drop, princess, so it’s time to sleep for now,” the alpha smiled, plucking her off the ground. “We can play more later.”

“Aww…” the girl whined, while her sister yawned widely. The boy also looked about ready to drop, too, so Prompto picked him up as well.

“It’ll be okay,” he murmured, kissing both his and the little raven’s foreheads. Noctis smiled as he lifted up the small blonde girl, pressing a kiss to her head as they headed back to their room. And by the time they got there, the kids were already fast asleep. Prompto chuckled as he and Noctis tucked them into the bed, before holding the raven close once they were.

“Better?” he asked softly.

“…yeah…” Noctis murmured.

“Good,” the blonde smiled, kissing the prince’s temple.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

The next morning, Prompto woke up first, as usual, and he smiled when he felt the triplets simply moving slightly beneath his hands, not kicking. He honestly was looking forward to seeing them when they were born. But for now, he needed to wake Noctis.

“Morning, Noct,” he whispered, lightly kissing the prince’s mate mark.

“Mmm…” Noctis hummed softly, blinking slowly. “Huh…?”

“It’s time to wake up, love,” Prompto smiled.

“…already?” the prince whined softly.

“Yep, sorry, Noct,” his alpha chuckled.

“Dammit…”

“I know,” Prompto murmured, kissing the pale neck softly. “I don’t wanna leave the room right now to be honest… But we have to.”

Noctis sighed heavily, before he groaned, “Fiiine… If I must…”

The blonde smiled lightly, before sighing with a small frown as he sat up. “…Do you think Mom and Dad are okay?”

“…” Noctis regarded Prompto for a moment, before he sighed and sat up, kissing his mate gently. “I’m sure they’re fine…”

“Right,” Prompto murmured, holding his mate close. “I can’t help but worry about them, is all…”

“I know…” Noctis murmured. “Anyway…suppose we should get ready before Ignis and Gladio show up.”

“Yeah,” the alpha nodded, sliding out of bed, and then pulling on his Crownsguard attire.

And once Noctis had pulled on his own clothes as well, there was a familiar knock on the door. “There’s Iggy.”

Prompto went over and answered the door, smiling at the sandy blonde. “Morning, Ignis,” he greeted.

“Good morning to you both,” the beta nodded. “Almost ready to head back home?”

“If we must…” Noctis grumbled softly.

“Sadly, we do,” Ignis told him.

“It _has_ been nice here,” Gladio commented, walking into the room.

“Yeah…” Noctis agreed as he picked up the three Moogle plushies, tucking them in a separate bag.

“We should say see ya to Luna and Zidane before we go, for sure,” Prompto said, zipping up their suitcases.

“Then we’ll go on ahead with the luggage and wait for you at the boat. Don’t take too long, though,” Ignis told them.

“Alright,” the prince said as he let Ignis take the bag with the plushies.

As the Shield and Advisor left, Prompto held Noctis close. “This has been really nice,” he murmured.

“Hmhmm…” Noctis hummed in agreement. “…when the triplets are born…I want to take them back here…”

“Definitely,” his alpha smiled softly, rubbing the raven’s belly slightly. This made the prince smile warmly, as he placed his hands on Prompto’s. Then the triplets kicked a little, making the blonde smile. “They’re already so active,” he commented with a soft chuckle, which made Noctis smile.

“Makes me worry for when they’re actually here…”

“I’m sure they’ll be just fine,” Prompto laughed lightly.

“Uh-huh,” Noctis chuckled softly. “Anyway, shall we go?”

“Yeah, we should,” the blonde nodded, and then they left.

As they came downstairs, it took them only a little bit to spot Zidane in the entryway… talking and laughing with a blonde girl with two ponytails resting on her shoulders.

“…? Who in…?”

“I dunno… Let’s find out,” Prompto murmured. As they got close, Prompto snorted and called, “Still being a flirt, Zidane?”

This, in turn, caused Zidane and the girl to look up in question, before Zidane’s eyes widened. “Dude! Seriously?!” he said indignantly. “Uncalled for!!”

“You sure?” Noctis asked him. “Does Luna know?”

“Oh c’mon!!”

The girl, however, giggled. “You do give off the impression, Zidane.”

In response, Zidane looked at her dryly. “Et tu, Miko?”

She ignored him, though, as she turned to Prompto and Noctis. “Good day, sirs. My name is Mikoto. I apologize for any trouble my brother may have caused over the past week.”

“Esh… ya make it sound like I get in trouble daily…”

“Don’t you?”

“No! …Maybe every other day…”

“Wait, you’re siblings?” Prompto blinked, before he nodded. “Well, that explains that. Nice to meet you, Mikoto.”

Mikoto nodded her head politely, smiling. “Pleased to make your acquaintance,” she said calmly.

“So I take it Zidane was updating you on his shenanigans during this past week?” Prompto guessed with a chuckle.

“To put it simply, yes,” Mikoto said with a smile.

“Oyoy…”

“I figured,” the taller blonde smirked, and then Luna walked over.

“Good morning, you two,” she smiled. “Getting ready to head home?”

“I suppose…” Noctis sighed softly.

“It’ll be okay, Noctis,” Luna assured him, hugging him. “Try not to worry so much, okay? You have Prompto to help, too.”

“Right…” Noctis said with a smile as he hugged her back. “You take care, too, kay?”

“I will,” she giggled. “Hopefully I’ll see you boys soon.”

“I’m sure we’ll meet again sometime soon,” Prompto smiled.

Zidane chuckled as Luna stepped back. “Well, we should prolly get going, too…before your brother tears Tenebrae apart, eh?”

“Right,” Luna nodded, going to Zidane’s side. “Have a safe trip home, you two!”

“We will, and you guys do the same!” Prompto chuckled. Noctis smiled as he waved his old friend goodbye as she followed after Zidane and Mikoto. Once they were out of sight, he sighed softly. “We’ll see them again, Noct, I know we will,” his alpha soothed as he held him close.

“I know…” the omega murmured, exhaling softly. “…let’s go home…”

“Okay,” Prompto nodded, kissing the top of the raven’s head before linking their fingers as they headed to the boat.


	21. Chapter 21

X*X(1 Month Later)X*X

A month had passed since Prompto and Noctis had returned home to Insomnia from their trip to Altissia, and the triplets had been becoming steadily more active in Noctis’s womb, sometimes waking him during the night. And when they did, they soon settled down when Prompto would simply talk to his mate, and then they would go back to sleep.

It was one morning like this where the triplets had woken Noctis, and while Prompto was talking to his omega, he suddenly perked up.

“Hey, Noct?”

“…yeah?” Noctis asked lazily.

“Do you think we can find out the genders of them by now?” the blonde asked.

“…should be about that time, yeah…” the prince murmured.

“Awesome,” Prompto grinned, lightly rubbing Noctis’s belly.

“Pass me my phone, will ya?”

“Sure,” his alpha nodded, and handed the prince his phone.

“Thanks,” Noctis murmured, kissing the alpha briefly in thanks, before he started texting.

 

**Me: Iris, can I bother you with a question?**

**Iris: Sure, Noctis! What’s up?**

**Me: Well, do you think you can set up an ultrasound to check the genders of the triplets?**

**Iris: Absolutely! I’d love to! Excited to know, huh? ;D**

**Me: Heh. Maybe a little.**

**Iris: Good to hear! Well, I’ll get the ultrasound machine set up, and I’ll text you when it’s ready, okay?**

**Me: Sounds good. Thanks, Iris.**

**Iris: Anytime!**

 

Smiling, Noctis clicked the screen off and let it fall by his head. “She’ll let us know when it’s ready.”

“Sweet,” the blonde smiled, kissing his omega softly. Noctis hummed lazily as he kissed back, wrapping his arms around his neck. Prompto then pressed his tongue to the seam of the raven’s lips, silently seeking entry.

Which was swiftly granted as the prince hummed from the back of his throat. The alpha moaned quietly as he slid his tongue into his mate’s mouth, simply loving the taste of him. Which was exactly when the triplets chose to kick again.

“Agh…! Damn…! That one was strong…” Noctis hissed out.

“Sorry, Noct…” Prompto murmured, gently rubbing Noctis’s stomach to soothe the kicked area. “Getting stronger each day, huh?”

“Yeah… I think they’re getting eager…” the prince said softly, smiling a little as he placed his hand on his stomach.

This made the blonde chuckle. “I’m getting eager to meet them, too,” he murmured.

“Yeah? Well, you’re not on the receiving end of those kicks,” Noctis grumbled, though he was smirking softly.

“And I told you, I’d switch with you if I could, Noct,” Prompto mumbled apologetically.

“Uh-huh…” the prince said softly as he rested his head on Prompto’s shoulder.

“I mean it!” his alpha insisted with a pout. “I’d rather not have you stress so much, anyway…”

This time, the only response was a lazy hum, as Noctis breathed quietly, clearly on the verge of falling asleep again…until his phone went off with a text.

“…dammit…” he sighed softly. When he checked it, it was Iris.

 

**Iris: I’m ready when you are, Noctis~**

 

Snorting softly he sent a quick text.

 

**Me: On our way.**

 

“Iris has the machine ready,” he said as he stretched.

“Cool,” Prompto smiled, sitting up and stretching as well.

After sliding off the bed and getting some easy clothes on, Noctis stretched. “Ugh…”

“You gonna be okay?” the blonde asked in concern.

“Yeah… Rusty joints, ‘s all.”

“All right,” Prompto nodded, and once he had gotten dressed, he linked their fingers together as they left to the infirmary. Upon their arrival, Iris was indeed waiting for them, and she smiled at the sight of the pair.

“Good morning, guys,” she smiled.

“Morning, Iris,” Prompto greeted.

Noctis, however, had to yawn first before he could say, “Morning.”

“The little ones wake you up this morning?” the brunette giggled.

“Keeping me awake, more like…”

“I know, but at least if you guys decide to have more later, it won’t be for about 8 years, so you have some time,” the beta smiled.

“Right, cuz omegas go into heat 8 years after they give birth, I remember that,” Prompto nodded.

“Yeah, yeah,” Noctis murmured, running a hand through his hair.

“You know, I actually read something interesting recently,” Iris told the prince. “Omegas who take suppressants for a long time and then experience heat become a lot more fertile, meaning they’re more likely to have twins, triplets, or even quadruplets. And since you were on suppressants for so long, that would explain why you’re expecting triplets now.”

“…seriously?” Noctis asked, frowning. “I…guess that kinda makes sense…”

“Well, the article explained it like this: you’re basically suppressing your body’s need to literally be bred, sorry for the blunt terminology, so when you come off of your suppressants, your body is making up for all the missed heats,” Iris explained.

“…right, anyway, does it really matter what caused it?” Noctis asked. “Can we just get to the point of us being here?”

“Sorry, Noctis, not trying to lecture you, I promise,” the brunette apologized. “Now, go ahead and get on the bed, and I’ll get things going.”

“Alright.” As he climbed on the bed, he grunted as the triplets kicked him, and hard. “Easy, little ones…”

Prompto smiled at his omega as he took the raven’s hand in his, kissing the back of it while Iris got the ultrasound machine up and running. She then pushed up Noctis’s shirt and squirted the gel onto his belly without warning.

“Gah!! Iris!”

“You knew it was gonna be cold!” she huffed a little as Prompto lightly squeezed the raven’s hand.

“A little warning would’ve been nice, though…”

“At least it wasn’t ice water,” Iris pointed out, pressing the wand to Noctis’s belly. There were soon the whooshing sounds of the triplets’ heartbeats, along with Noctis’s. “Now, let’s see about those genders…”

Prompto looked at the screen while Iris moved the wand around, and after five minutes of this, she smiled brightly.

“Looks like you guys are having two girls and a boy,” she told them.

“Two girls…one boy…” the prince repeated, a combination of shock and awe in his voice.

“You okay, Noct?” Prompto asked.

“Iris…can I see them?”

“Of course,” the beta smiled, moving the wand a bit until she got a good view on the screen of the three children inside the raven. “There you go.”

Noctis let out a small gasp as he looked at the three figures on the screen. Prompto looked with him, and he felt a special warmth in his heart, making him smile softly. “There are our children, Noct,” he whispered, lightly squeezing his hand.

“Yeah…” Noctis whispered, unable to tear his eyes away as he clenched the blonde’s hand firmly. “…they’re so small…”

“They’re still growing, though, but they’ll still be kinda small when they’re born, too,” Iris told them. “Since there are three of them, there’s less room to grow in your womb.”

“Right…”

“Happy?” Prompto asked softly, kissing the top of the raven’s head.

“Yeah,” Noctis breathed out softly.

“I’d like to think so,” Iris giggled. “Ready for me to turn it off?”

“…sure,” the prince murmured quietly. Iris nodded, and then turned off the ultrasound machine.

“You okay, Noct?” Prompto asked, a little worried about the quiet response.

“…yeah.”

“I’m gonna go put this away,” the brunette said, and then wheeled the ultrasound machine out of the room after giving the prince a towel to wipe the gel off with. Once she was gone, Prompto sat on the edge of the bed with his mate.

“…What’s on your mind?” he asked quietly.

“Just… I can’t believe they’re almost here…” Noctis murmured softly, smiling to himself.

“I know, Noct,” Prompto smiled as well, taking the towel and gently wiping up the gel. “I’m excited.”

That made Noctis chuckle. “You’re _always_ excited…”

“Then I’m especially excited for when they’re born,” the blonde replied, lightly rubbing Noctis’s belly.

The omega smiled as he rested a hand on his mate’s. However, the moment was quickly ruined by three consecutive beeps from Noctis’s phone. “Hm?” Confused, the prince reached into his pocket and pulled it out. “Who is…?”

“I wonder who it is…” Prompto murmured.

When Noctis unlocked the phone and checked his texts, there were three of them…each of them from Zidane.

 

**Zidane: We**

**Zidane: have**

**Zidane: arrived~**

 

“Already?” Noctis chuckled. “That was quick…”

“Wait, Zidane’s here? What for?” his alpha asked, reading over Noctis’s shoulder.

“Only one way to find out, right?” Noctis chuckled as he climbed off of the bed.

“Noooct!” Prompto whined. “Come on, tell me!”

“Nope~” Noctis said with a smirk as he stood up. “C’mon. Let’s go.”

“…Tease…” the blonde pouted as he followed after his omega.

It took them only a few minutes to reach the Citadel’s lounge. And when they did, Zidane looked up from where he was sitting on the back of a chair and grinned. “Morning~” he said cheekily.

“Hello, boys,” Regis smiled kindly from his chair.

“Hi Regis, hey Zidane,” Prompto greeted. “I thought you’d be here with Luna?”

“Nah. She’s stuck at home for a while,” Zidane said, grinning cheekily.

“Okay, I’ll bite: what’s with the cheeky grin?” the taller blonde snorted. However, no sooner had he said that, or his sight was suddenly blocked. “Wah!” he yelped, startled.

“You get three guesses, dear.”

“Mom?!” he gasped. “Dad’s here, too, right?!”

As soon as he asked, his sight was restored and he was turned around to see both his parents standing there. “Hey, kiddo,” Lex said with a smile.

“Mom! Dad!” Prompto nearly whimpered, before hugging them both tightly. And Ius and Lex hugged back just as tightly, with Lex gently patting his back while Ius rubbed his head like they’d often done when he was younger.

“You’re both okay…!” Prompto finally whimpered out of relief. Despite all the time they’d been apart after his parents had left, he still cared deeply for them, and always would.

“Told you we would be,” Lex said with a smile, ruffling the boy’s hair.

“I know, but I was still worried…” the blonde replied quietly.

Noctis smiled as he watched his mate reconcile with his parents before he sent a grateful look to Zidane. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome~”

Catching the words, Prompto jolted, and then looked at Noctis and Zidane in shock. “You guys planned this?” he yelped.

“So we did,” Zidane quipped with a grin.

The taller blonde smiled, before letting go of his parents and going over to Noctis, pulling him into a hug. “Thank you,” he whispered.

“You’re welcome, Prom,” his omega said sincerely.

Prompto kissed his mate softly, wordlessly thanking him again, before holding him close as he looked back at his parents. “I’m so glad you’re both home now…” he told them.

“We wanted to ensure they got to meet their grandchildren, after all,” Regis chuckled.

Both Lex and Ius bowed politely to the king. “And we greatly appreciate this opportunity, Your Highness,” Lex said politely.

“Of course,” Regis smiled. “I would rather have you back here with Prompto, since you both mean so much to him.”

Noctis smiled warmly, as Ius and Lex stood up straight again, keeping a hand resting on his stomach as he did. And his smile only turned warmer when Ius took her husband’s hand, a relieved smile on her face.

“Mom? Dad? Do you want to know what the triplets’ genders are?” Prompto asked, smiling eagerly as he lightly rubbed Noctis’s belly.

This immediately got Ius’s attention and a warm smile lit up her face. “Ah… You had an ultrasound done?”

“Haha… Just a few minutes ago, actually,” Noctis admitted.

“What are you having?” Regis asked curiously.

“Two girls and a boy,” Prompto told them all.

Ius smiled wider, while Lex chuckled. “Rare…usually male omegas don’t give birth to girls, let alone two at a time.”

“Well, as long as they’re healthy, that’s what matters to me,” Prompto smiled, to which Noctis nodded his agreement.

Zidane chuckled, before he hopped off his chair. “Well anyway!” he exclaimed. “I should be heading off. Places to go, people to see, after all.”

“Like Luna?” the taller blonde smirked.

“Maaaaaybe~” the blonde chirped with a grin, before he waved and headed out the room with a chuckle.

“Heh…” Noctis chuckled. “He might actually have someone else to visit, too…”

“Kuja, maybe?” his alpha guessed.

“Quite possibly,” Regis shrugged.

“Probably,” Noctis added with a smile.

“Yeah, he probably would,” Lex murmured, while Ius giggled.

“Still hard to believe they have the same parents…” she said.

“Yeah, especially since they look nothing alike,” Prompto agreed. “But knowing Zidane, he’s probably gone off to harass poor Kuja.”

“Or play with Joshua. Either or,” Noctis added.

“Why not both?” the blonde replied, chuckling.

“…You look tired, Noctis,” Regis remarked. “I take it the little ones are keeping you up?”

“They are…” Noctis admitted. “They’re getting more and more active every day…”

“Try and get some rest, then,” his father urged. “You’ll need it for when they’re born.”

“Right…”

“Let’s get back to bed, then, Noct,” Prompto murmured, kissing his temple.

“Yeah, alright…”

“We’ll see you later, right?” the blonde asked his parents.

“Don't worry, we’re not going anywhere. Not anymore,” Lex assured with a warm smile that was mirrored by his wife.

“Good,” Prompto smiled, relief evident on his face, before guiding Noctis back to their room. When they got back, he held the prince close to him, giving a content hum. Which, in turn, made Noctis hum softly as he looked at the alpha quietly.

“…I’m just so happy right now,” the blonde murmured, kissing the top of the raven’s head. “I love you so much, Noct… Thank you…”

“Heh…don’t mention it…” the omega whispered, kissing the blonde back. “Love you, too…”

“You’re amazing, you know that? I always consider myself lucky and I’m so grateful to have you,” Prompto smiled softly, walking them to their bed.

“I know,” Noctis said with a small smile on his face as they settled back in bed.

“You feel the same about me, right?” his alpha asked, appearing genuinely curious as he held Noctis close to him, gently rubbing his swollen stomach.

“Course I do…” Noctis murmured softly as he settled against Prompto.

“Good,” Prompto smiled warmly, kissing his temple. “Get some sleep, love… I’ll stay with you the whole time.”

“Hmhmm…” the prince hummed, eyes already shut and a soft smile playing on his face. The blonde chuckled softly, settling as he fell asleep as well.

 

X*X(Meanwhile)X*X

As Prompto and Noctis went back to sleep, Zidane was humming as he walked around the gardens casually. The place was as fancy as he remembered it having been since the last time, which was another reason why he hadn’t come back sooner. The whole place was a little _too_ fancy for him.

It didn’t take him all that long to find exactly who he was looking for. One of them was busy reading, making notes, while the other was busy playing with some of his toys.

Grinning, Zidane walked over. “Good evening!” he called out cheekily, making the pair look up in surprise. As soon as they figured out who was there, though, the smallest of the two smiled brightly.

“UNCLE ZIDANE!!” Joshua cheered as he scrambled up to his feet and dashed for the blonde, who laughed as he picked up the small boy.

“Hey there, little man!” he laughed as he tossed the boy into the air, catching him as the boy squealed in giddiness. “How’s my favorite nephew doing?”

“I’s good!” the boy chirped as he was held up in the blonde’s arms. “When you get heres?”

“Oh, only just,” Zidane chuckled, as the boy’s father came over.

“Fancy meeting you here, dear,” the silverette chuckled. “So… what brings you here, hm?”

“Oh, yanno me; just passing by while finishing my mission.”

“Oh?” Kuja hummed, cocking an eyebrow. “So… was it a success?”

“Yep!” the blonde said with a grin as he flashed his brother a thumbs-up.

“Good,” the omega said with a smile. “That’s one worry less…”

“Oh, by the by, guess who we ran into in Altissia!”

“I’ve no idea, dear.”

“Your ol’ buddy from Geffen!”

“…!! …Kurasa?”

“Yep. Told ‘m he should drop by sometime… he declined. …at least while the war’s still going.”

Kuja hummed softly at those words. “Understandably… he’s always been one to stay away from danger…” he mumbled, while Joshua blinked, looking back and forth between his father and uncle.

“…? Papa??”

The curious quip made Kuja sigh with a soft smile. “Nothing, dear. Anyway, since Uncle Zidane isn’t going to be here long, I’m assuming… why don’t you two have some fun, hm?”

“Yay!!”

“Heh. Sounds good.”


	22. Chapter 22

X*X(1 Month Later)X*X

It was one more month until Noctis was due to give birth to the triplets, and Prompto had been becoming increasingly excited. He was eager for when their children would be born, as were his parents. They were excited to meet their grandchildren, and especially since they had caught up with their son over the prior month on the past several years. Even Regis had shown some excitement here and there, like when he finally felt the triplets kick one evening. Everything had been falling into place quite well, even when they had the nursery set up for the new arrivals ono the way.

That morning, Prompto was curled around Noctis, practically, spooning him as he held his omega close. That is, until there was an urgent knocking on the door.

Noctis grunted as he blinked his eyes open, glancing over, even as the door was thrown open, and Ius came running in. “Prompto! Noctis! Get up, quick!”

“Huh… what?”

“Wait, huh? What’s wrong, Mom…?” Prompto yawned, looking at her in confusion.

“Niflheim’s here! They’re right on our door!”

“Wait WHAT?!” Noctis yelped.

“Why are they here?!” the blonde demanded, frowning darkly.

“We’re not sure…yet. C’mon! Both of you get up!”

“Right,” Prompto nodded, untangling himself from Noctis and climbing out of bed, before helping his mate out of bed as well. He kept the raven tucked into his side as they headed to the throne room with Ius, where Regis, Ignis, Gladio, and Lex were waiting. “Any news yet?” the blonde asked urgently.

“No, nothing yet, but we’ve sent Valanx out to try and find out,” Regis told them.

“We’re going to go help the Kingsglaive keep the Niffs back,” Gladio said when there was a deep rumble throughout the Citadel.

“Noct is in your hands, Prompto,” Ignis said, and then the Shield and Advisor left.

“Your Highness,” a familiar voice said suddenly, as Valanx appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.

“What have you found out?” Regis asked.

“Niflheim is, naturally, upset with the rejection of the treaty…but it is not what caused them to resort to battle.” He paused briefly to take a quick breath. “…they have found out.”

“…!!” Noctis gasped in alarm, tensing up in his alpha’s arms.

“But…how?” Prompto frowned, holding Noctis closer.

“I am unsure…but however they found out…it seems they’ve also figured that His Majesty is expecting,” Valanx said solemnly.

“And so they’re taking advantage,” Regis snarled, rage clear in his voice and on his face. “We must keep Noctis safe, regardless.”

“Right,” Prompto nodded…right before a loud boom sounded from the main entrance. “The hell?!”

“They’re breaking in,” Regis spat, getting to his feet. “Valanx, escort Prompto and Noctis to the safe room.”

“As you wish, Sire,” Valanx said with a nod, before he moved to the couple. “This way…” he urged.

“Right,” Prompto nodded, and guided Noctis along with him as they followed after Valanx. As they left, Regis headed to the main entrance, summoning his glaive as he went. Lex and Ius followed after the couple as well, covering their backs.

“…” As they hurried down the hallways, Noctis was trying his best to not hyperventilate, keeping his hand pressed against his stomach.

“…Prompto,” Lex said softly. “Please tell me you can access the you-know-what…”

“Yes. Noct has it in his Armiger,” Prompto nodded quietly, before gently shushing his mate. “Noct, everything will be okay, I promise…” The prince only managed to whimper softly, his free hand clutching Prompto’s. They eventually reached the safe room, where Valanx left them to go and check on the others. Lex and Ius stayed with them, just in case, and Prompto gently sat Noctis down on the wide loveseat before sitting down as well and holding him as close as possible.

“Ssshhh…” he shushed softly, kissing his temple. “It’ll be okay, Noct…”

As Noctis shivered fiercely against Prompto, Lex sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. “Dammit… this is not good…”

“We’re just going to have to wait it out,” Prompto sighed, lightly rubbing the raven’s belly as he tried to comfort him, his rumble sounding softly in his chest.

“But…how did they even…?” Ius started, just before Lex tensed.

“Wait…don’t tell me…?!” he choked out.

“What?” the blonde frowned.

“What if…back in Altissia…they heard through the wire…!”

“Wait, what?! What about the disruptor, though?!” Prompto demanded.

“No…not then… _Before_ that!”

Immediately, the alpha paled, and he choked out, “Then…it-it’s my f-fault…!”

Ius quickly moved over and shushed the blonde. “Prompto, it’s okay…calm down…”

“B-but it’s my fault the Niffs know!” Prompto whimpered.

“Sssh…Prom… calm down…” Ius murmured, looking over to Noctis, who was, by now, trembling horribly. Looking at his mate, Prompto took a deep, shuddering breath, before burying his face into Noctis’s hair, kissing the top of his head.

Suddenly, there was the sound of approaching machine-like steps, making the occupants of the room look at the door in alarm.

“No…!” Noctis whimpered, curling up against Prompto, one of his hands clutching at his stomach. And then, the door was suddenly blown in. Prompto carefully maneuvered himself so Noctis was behind him, the blonde taking a protective stance in front of his mate as he bared his teeth in a snarl.

“Pr-Prom…!” Noctis choked out, but Ius stopped him from going after him, holding him back onto the couch.

“Did you really think you could hide from us, princeling?” a cold, taunting voice echoed over a radio system, as the wall was basically torn to shreds…courtesy of the massive Magitek Armor on the other side.

“You’re not gonna TOUCH him!!” Prompto spat furiously, snarling.

“Hmph…and who’s going to stop me? You?” the armor’s driver snorted as he brought up the massive cannon. “Let’s face it, boy; you’ll all die here today.”

“No, no one’s going to die but you!” Prompto yelled, summoning his guns and firing at the cockpit.

Unfortunately, the bullets just ended up bouncing off of the exterior, which made the driver laugh mockingly. “Was that it?” he crooned, right before he raised one of its legs and moved to crush Prompto.

However, Prompto wasn’t about to give up, instead dismissing his guns. But then he hesitated, almost scared to summon his other weapon. After all this time, he was still fearful of wielding a sword, but to protect Noctis…he would do anything. Right before the Magitek Armor’s leg could crush him, he swiftly summoned his sword, blocking the metal limb and knocking it back powerfully.

“Ch…! You think that will stop me?!” the driver shouted, rearing back its arm and almost knocking the katana out of Prompto’s hands when the blonde barely managed to back up and parry.

“D…dammit…!” Prompto hissed, barely managing to keep his grip on his katana somehow.

“Pathetic!” the driver cackled as energy began to gather in the barrel of the armor’s gun.

“ _NO!!_ ” Noctis screamed, moving throwing his arm forward, as he if was tossing something to Prompto, crystalline blue light flashing around his fingers and then around his alpha.

And then, as the shot was released, it struck Prompto head-on…and then fizzled away against a burst of red light.

“ _What?!_ ”

Prompto looked down at his chest, and he was shocked. Where there had once been a simple black shirt with skull-like designs adorning it, there was now a heavily plated armor colored a dark green with black trims, and a golden starburst arching from the center of his chest. His arms were covered in a thick plated green armor, the fingers covered by black armor that, shockingly, still permitted all the movement he normally would've been able to, and a pair of black, shield-like plates arched over his shoulders. His lower body was protected by the same armor as his arms, only his legs were also covered with several layers of extra plating in black, including his knee joints and crotch area, with his feet being pure black and, despite being armored, being as easy on his feet as his normal shoes. Just then he realized he had several lines of text flashing across his vision, which was when he reached up for his head, realizing he was also wearing a helmet that arched back over his head, with the visor protecting his eyes.

“Thanks, Noct,” he said gratefully, looking back at him briefly. With a roar, he then slashed his katana at the Magitek Armor’s leg, slicing through it powerfully.

“ _No!_ ” came the horrified and furious shout as the armor lunged for Prompto again, but the punch just harmlessly bounced off as a burst of red energy exploded around Prompto at the contact. “How did you—!? That is not your property!!”

“It is now, asshole!” Prompto snapped, slashing at the limb and severing it.

“Damn you!” the driver roared out as he tried to hit Prompto again, as oil and fuel dripped from the joints. Of course, that didn’t help at all with the fact that Prompto was wearing the Exosuit.

And it didn’t help when the armor’s wires sparked, which set the oil and fuel on fire. And this, in turn, caused a chain reaction that had the MA explode. Prompto watched with satisfaction as the MA exploded, but then he snarled when the driver of the MA was trying to escape.

“Oh, no you don’t!” he shouted, immediately rushing after him, exchanging his katana for his guns again.

Noctis whimpered softly as the alpha dashed off, one of his hands going for his stomach instinctively. Ius noticed and shushed him a little.

“It’s okay, Noct…” she assured him, rubbing his back. “Come on…let’s get you to the back, just to be safe…”

“R…right…” Noctis whimpered, allowing Ius and Lex to lead him off the couch and to the back—that is until a pain, unlike anything, ripped through him and forced him to his knees with a choked cry.

“Noct!/Noctis!” Ius and Lex cried out in alarm, as Noctis gripped at his stomach.

“S…something’s wrong…!” he whimpered, as he felt the pain centering on his stomach. He didn’t understand it initially before another wave ripped through him and he gasped/cried out.

And Ius clearly understood as well as her eyes widened in alarm. “Oh shit!! Lex! Back to the couch! Hurry!!”

“Wha…? O-okay…” Lex got out, helping his wife in guiding Noctis back to the couch. “Ius, what…?”

“He’s gone into labor!” Ius snapped, startling her husband. “I think it was the stress but that doesn’t matter! Get me some towels and warm water!”

“R-right!” Lex choked out, before he hurried to do just that.

Noctis wasn’t even aware of the words; all he could focus was the pain, as he felt the triplets kick shortly after another contraction hit him. All that he knew for sure was that he wanted his alpha! ‘ _Pro…Prompto…!!_ ’

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

Meanwhile, Prompto was in hot pursuit of the commander, who he’d recognized as Loqi from the papers, and he soon raised his gun and shot him in the leg.

“Argh!!” the Niff howled out as he stumbled forward to hit the dirt.

“You’re not going anywhere,” the blonde hissed as he planted a foot on his back. The Niff growled and hissed as he scrabbled at the ground, trying to get up. However, there was a cold smirk on his face. And as a warning message popped up on Prompto’s visor, he had a good suspicion as to why. Prompto then looked up, seeing why Loqi was smirking like a dumbass: snipers.

But the moment he did, the snipers were knocked off their perches, crashing down, dead. And while one remained, it didn’t last long as something smashed into his back and threw him off, before smashing down onto his back with ease.

The blonde watched, shocked, but he kept Loqi pinned regardless.

The person on the sniper’s back silently stood up, lifting his masked face toward Prompto. His face was covered by what looked like a white fox mask with red and black lines painted across it in swirling patterns, while the eyes had been reduced to two black lines. His attire was both form-fitting and revealing, with three heavy belts lined with pouches strapped along his waist, as he stood on bare feet on the sniper’s back, the nails on both hands and feet elongated and painted black. He wasn’t someone Prompto had seen around the Citadel before…but then he noticed the fiery red hair that was tied back behind his head a ponytail that was divided into several more.

“Kurasa?” Prompto uttered, shocked.

“……” There was no response from the man, as he seemed to regard Prompto solemnly, before his attention went to the man under Prompto as the Niff growled.

“You think this is over!? You’ll all—”

However, the new arrival snapped out his arm once, and then the man choked, before his eyes rolled back into his head and he went still.

Prompto was startled but the move, but then he nodded to who he strongly believed was Kurasa, and then ran back to his mate. Thankfully, it didn’t take him long to get back, but when he reached the busted in doorway, he almost tripped over himself as he heard Noctis cry out.

“Noct…!” he gasped, running inside. “What’s going on?!”

Ius looked up from dabbing a wet towel against Noctis’s forehead as the blonde came in. “Prom…! Get out of that suit and come over here, now!” she admonished as Noctis let out another pained cry, clawing at his stomach.

“Okay!” Prompto nodded, somehow dismissing the suit and hurrying to Noctis’s side. “Is he…in labor?” he asked as he took over the wet towel, holding the raven close.

“I believe so…the stress may’ve induced it…” Ius hissed as she moved to help her husband.

Noctis, meanwhile, reached out for Prompto’s hand desperately. “Pr…Prom…!”

“I’m here, Noct, and I’m not leaving you, no matter what,” the blonde soothed, taking his omega’s hand in his own and holding it firmly.

Noctis whimpered softly, before he cried out as another wave of pain hit him. “I-it hurts…!”

“I know, Noct, but it’s because the little ones are coming,” Prompto told him calmly. “Even though it’s a bit early, they’ll be just fine, I promise.”

The omega could only manage a whimper as Ius managed to tug his pants off of him. “Easy, Noct…” she murmured. “Prompto’s right. It’s going to be okay…”

Prompto gently dabbed at his forehead with the towel before kissing his temple, shushing him softly. “Mom and Dad are going to help, okay? They’ll make sure our children will be just fine…”

Noctis whimpered, clutching onto Prompto’s hand firmly, whimpering from the pain.

Lex moved over to Prompto and set a fresh bucket of warm water by his side, before he hurried off again, probably to get some more supplies.

“How close is he to pushing, Mom?” the alpha asked, holding Noctis close to him.

“Pretty close… Not just yet, but pretty close…”

“Damn…” Prompto cursed, kissing Noctis’s forehead. “We’re getting there, Noct, we’re almost there…”

Noctis only managed a small whimper, before he hissed, choking on another cry as another contraction hit him.

Ius frowned, checking the prince again, before she nodded. “Okay, Noct…when I say so, push, okay?”

“R…right…”

“You can do this, Noct, I know you can,” Prompto encouraged, squeezing his hand lightly to reinforce the words. The omega took several deep breaths, mentally prepping himself for what was to come.

“Okay…and… _push!_ ”

And at Ius’s call, he did just that, biting his lip as he fought against a scream from the pain. Prompto rubbed the raven’s back soothingly with his free hand, hoping beyond hope that this would go quick, for Noctis’s sake.

“Okay, stop!” Ius called out, and Noctis gasped in relief, before he whined. “You'’re doing great, Noct…it won’t take much longer like this…”

“Thank the Six,” Prompto breathed in relief. He was more relieved for Noctis than anything. He kissed his mate’s temple, smiling softly at him. “It’ll be okay, Noct, see?” he smiled.

Noctis managed to nod softly, tensing at another contraction.

“Okay…get ready…” Ius called out. “On three…one…two…”

Prompto adjusted his hold briefly, bracing himself.

“Three!”

This time, Noctis wasn’t able to hold back a scream of pain as he pushed again. Sure enough, there was soon progress.

“Stop!” Ius called again, and Noctis gasped as he flopped back against Prompto. “Okay… I can see the first’s head… almost there, Noct…”

“You’ve almost got the first one out, Noct, you’re doing great,” his alpha praised as he kissed his forehead. “Keep it up.”

Noctis whined, but he did nod once to show he understood.

“Okay, Noct, ready?”

“No…”

“ _Push!_ ”

Despite the earlier whimper, the raven pushed again, crying out loudly. As he pushed, he felt a sharp pain as the shoulders passed.

“It’s okay, Noct!” Ius called out then. “I’ve got the little one now!”

Noctis gasped in pain, before he fell back with a whine, as Ius, carefully, tugged the first child out.

“Is it okay?” Prompto asked once the infant was out, wailing loudly to clear its little lungs.

“Don’t worry…she’s just fine,” Ius assured with a smile, as Lex came over and wrapped up the child in a thick, fluffy blanket.

Prompto caught the gender, and he smiled as he told Noctis, “You hear that, Noct? Our first daughter is okay.”

Noctis managed a small nod, gasping heavily, before a he choked as another contraction hit him. “A-aah!”

“Ssshhh…” Prompto shushed softly, gently rubbing his back and kissing his temple. “You’re doing great, Noct. You’re getting closer!”

“I…it hurts, Prom…!” Noctis whimpered softly.

“I know, love, I know, but just focus on our children, okay? When this is over, you and I get to hold them and actually have our family…” his alpha soothed. Breathing heavily, Noctis bit his lip slightly, before he nodded softly.

“Okay, Noct… Let’s get the other two now, alright?” Ius murmured soothingly. The omega bit his lip worriedly, but he finally nodded. “Okay…one…two… _three!_ ”

Noctis bit down on his lip as he threw his head back against Prompto’s chest, clutching his hand firmly. The blonde held him close, murmuring words of encouragement as the raven pushed their second child along.

“Okay, stop!”

Noctis hissed out a breath, his grip letting up slightly. Ius let him catch his breath for a few moments, before she spoke again.

“Ready?”

For a moment, Noct hesitated, but then he nodded.

“Push!”

Noctis couldn’t hold back the strangled cry at the pain, but he did push as best he could.

“Stop! I got this one, Noct.”

“How is it?” Prompto asked, listening to the infant’s loud wailing as Ius passed it to Lex, who wrapped the tiny infant in a soft blanket.

Lex chuckled as he wiped the child's forehead. “He’s fine. Perfectly healthy, looks like.”

“Good,” the blonde smiled, lightly squeezing Noctis’s hand. “Our son is healthy, Noct…”

The prince nodded softly, gasping heavily, his hand clenching and unclenching around the blonde's hand.

“Okay…just the last girl is left. Ready?” Ius asked.

“Y-yeah…”

“Okay, one…two… _three!_ ”

As Noctis pushed out their third child, Prompto kissed his omega’s forehead before wiping it with the damp towel, telling him, “You’re so close, Noct…! You’re doing amazing. I love you so much.”

Noctis whimpered and tried not to wail in pain, clutching his alpha’s hand firmly. Thankfully, the last of the kids was the easiest, as Ius called out, “Stop! Don't worry, I got her.”

This made the omega choke as he flopped back bonelessly.

“Is she okay as well?” the blonde asked as he held Noctis close to himself, petting his sweaty ebony hair and brushing some of it out of his face, listening to her cry.

“Yeah,” Ius said with a smile, passing her to Lex again, who wrapped her up as well.

“See, Noct? They’re just fine,” Prompto smiled, hugging his mate gently as his parents brought the triplets over, who were now whimpering. “Sounds like they want their mom and dad…”

Noctis groaned as he managed to get his eyes opened properly. When he saw the kids being held by Ius and Lex, he gave a weary smile as he sat up and held out his arms. Prompto took over their son, while Noctis got the girls, and the new father smiled warmly at the sight of the small blonde boy in his arms. His fuzzy blonde hair was the same shade of Prompto’s, and when he opened his eyes, Prompto noticed the tiny boy had slightly darker blue eyes than his own. He then looked at his mate with their daughters.

While the youngest of the girls had the same blonde hair as her older brother, the eldest had the same black hair as Noctis. When the youngest opened her eyes, they were a bright blue, while the other girl had the same, steely blue eyes as Noctis.

“…ah…they’re so cute…” Noctis breathed out softly.

“And they’re ours,” his alpha chuckled, kissing his mate’s temple. “You did really well, Noct. I’m so proud of you…”

Noctis smiled softly, holding the girls close to him, as they yawned lazily, snuggling closer, still. Prompto smiled as well, chuckling quietly when the boy snuggled closer to his father, cooing happily.

Ius smiled, letting the boys have their moment, even as she put a blanket over the prince. Lex, however, was a little more curious about something. “So…any ideas on names, yet?”

“I think so,” Prompto nodded. “Let’s name our son Ventus.” Looking at the prince, he asked, “How about the girls, Noct? Any ideas?”

Noctis regarded them for a moment in turn, thinking. Despite all the time they’d had before, he hadn’t actually considered any real names. However, as he thought back on the dreams he’d had, he smiled warmly. “…Regina and Aurora,” he murmured.

“I like those. They’re perfect for them,” Prompto smiled. Then Ventus yawned, making his father laugh lightly. “Tired already, huh?” he guessed.

“I’m surprised he’s still awake…” Noctis murmured with a smile. “His sisters are already asleep.”

“I have a feeling he’ll be pretty stubborn about naps and bedtime,” his alpha remarked, watching as Ventus fell asleep. Noctis allowed a soft laugh…before his gaze went to the doorway. And as Prompto turned to the door as well, he realized why; Niche was standing in the doorway, leaning against the doorpost calmly.

“Is the coast clear?” he asked, but before Niche could answer, Regis walked in, his normal gait a little harsher from the amount of energy used to fight.

“Yes, everything is clear. The war is over,” the King told them.

Both Ius and Lex released a heavy sigh of relief. Noctis, in turn, smiled softly. “Good… that’s good…”

“Which means no more issues with Niflheim,” Prompto smiled.

Upon seeing the triplets in his son’s and Prompto’s arms, however, Regis frowned sadly. “I assume the stress induced early labor, my son?”

“Yeah…” Noctis sighed softly.

“Are they healthy, at least?” his father asked.

“Yeah, they are,” Prompto assured him. “Would you like to meet your grandkids, Regis?”

“I’d enjoy that,” Regis chuckled, approaching at a slow pace so as not to aggravate his injuries. When he reached the couple, he smiled softly at the sight of the sleeping newborns. “Now, who is who?”

“This is Ventus,” Prompto told him quietly, looking at the small boy in his arms.

Smiling, Noctis gently lifted the raven-haired girl in his arm, “This is Regina, and this,” he said, nodding to the blonde girl in his other arm, “is Aurora.”

“They’re precious,” the King murmured, smiling softly.

“That they are,” Prompto agreed with a soft chuckle.

“…Perhaps they should be brought to the nursery while you two rest in your own room,” Regis commented. “You look exhausted, Noctis.”

“Kinda…” Noctis mumbled.

“Here…let us take the little ones, okay?” Lex offered, taking Ventus from Prompto, as Ius moved to take over the girls.

“Thanks, Mom and Dad,” Prompto murmured, and once his parents had the triplets, the blonde got to his feet and scooped Noctis off of the couch. “Let’s get you to bed, Noct, kay?”

“Mmm…right…” the prince hummed softly. His alpha chuckled softly, and once Lex and Ius had left with the triplets, Prompto carried his omega back to their room, where he tucked the raven in, even with the blanket Ius had placed around his waist. Once he had climbed into bed with the prince, he held him close, kissing his cheek softly.

“I love you _so_ much, Noct… Get some sleep, and I’ll be here when you wake up,” the blonde promised.

“…mmm…” That was all Noctis was able to manage, as he held the blonde’s hand lightly. And with that, Prompto fell asleep, holding his mate close to himself and breathing in his warm scent.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

When Prompto woke next, Noctis wasn’t in bed with him, surprisingly. But the space where he’d been was still slightly warm, so he hadn’t been gone long. Despite this, the blonde had a feeling where his mate had gone. He slid out of bed, and made his way to the nursery, where Noctis indeed was, watching the triplets sleep in one crib.

“So this is where you went,” Prompto chuckled, joining him.

Noctis jumped slightly at the words, though he relaxed not long after. “Ah… sorry… I just…”

“It’s okay, love. I figured this was where you went,” the blonde smiled, wrapping his arms around the raven’s waist. “…How are they?”

“Sleeping soundly…” Noctis murmured fondly.

“Good,” Prompto nodded, watching as Regina seemed to almost curl around Ventus protectively, while the blonde boy did the same with Aurora. “They’re gonna be thick as thieves, I’ll bet.”

“Yeah…” Noctis murmured softly, reaching out to move aside Regina’s short bangs.

“She’s gonna be your doppelganger, I’ll bet,” the alpha chuckled, kissing his mate’s cheek as he rested his chin on Noctis’s shoulder.

“Yeah? Well, I’m betting Ventus is gonna be yours,” the prince chuckled.

“And Aurora might just be a mix of us both, then, huh?” Prompto smirked.

“Most likely…”

“…Happy?”

“…yeah…”

“What’s on your mind?”

“…” Noctis didn’t answer immediately, before he sighed. “They’re still so small…”

“Noct, you gotta remember, they were born a month early,” Prompto reminded him. “And remember what Iris said? How they were going to be small anyway because there were three of them growing in you, so there was less room to fully grow? Don’t worry so much, okay? They’re perfect.”

“I know…” Noctis murmured. “I just…can’t help it, I guess…”

“It’s okay, Noct,” the blonde soothed. “But soon enough, they’ll be big enough. They’ll grow up before ya know it.”

“Yeah… You’re right…”

“Course I am,” Prompto smirked, kissing the underside of the raven’s jaw. “Come on, let’s let them sleep, okay? We’ll have a ton of time to play with them once you’ve gotten more sleep.”

“…kay…”

“…Do you wanna sleep in here with them?” his alpha offered.

“…I’d rather…” Noctis admitted. “I want to be there if they need me…”

“I gotcha. Kinda figured as much,” Prompto smiled. “Lemme get a blanket for us and a couple pillows from our room, and I’ll be right back, okay?”

Noctis nodded, smiling softly. “Thanks…and sorry…”

“Don’t you dare apologize,” the blonde chided, kissing Noctis’s cheek. “Anything to make you happy is something I’m glad to do.” He then smiled kindly at him as he left the nursery, and returned not long after with two blankets and a pillows for each of them.

Smiling, Noctis moved to help Prompto set up the blankets and pillows. “…kinda miss the blanket fort,” he admitted.

“We can make one with them right now, if you want,” Prompto suggested. “I’ll just need to get more blankets.”

“…Let’s. Want me to help?”

“If you want. Or you can watch over the triplets. I’d prefer for you to rest as much as you can,” the alpha told him, starting to leave the room.

“…Sure…” Noctis murmured, smiling. “Thank you…”

“Anything for you, Noct,” Prompto chuckled as he left. He returned soon after with some more blankets, and he set up their blanket fort, humming a random tune as he went. Once it was set up, he looked at his mate. “All right, it’s ready.”

The prince smiled as he watched their fort quietly. It was nowhere near as elaborate as the ones they'd made years ago, but it was still very comfortable and cozy looking. For now, it was enough.

“Nice.”

“We’ll make awesome ones with them when they’re older, just watch,” his alpha told him, having a feeling what Noctis was thinking, even as he went to the crib and gently scooped Ventus and Aurora out of it.

Though Noctis blinked briefly, he smiled warmly and moved to pick up Regina, who was already whining when she seemed to realize her siblings were gone. “Easy, princess… Just a moment…”

As Prompto carefully crawled into the blanket fort, he gently set the two tiny blondes in the middle, the only sounds being a quiet mewl from Ventus and Aurora’s soft breathing as they were set on the blanket. “There we go…” he smiled.

Noctis smiled as he joined his mate and their children. Once he was settled, he moved Regina over so she could, once again, curl herself around Ventus, which she did immediately with a small mewling sound. And once the triplets were settled down again, Prompto laid down with Noctis, the couple on one side of their children.

“…Better?” he asked softly, spooning him and kissing his neck lightly.

“Yes…” Noctis said with a small smile.

“Good to know,” the blonde murmured. “Now rest up, and we’ll get to bond with them a lot more when we’re all up.”

“Hmm…” Noctis hummed softly. Before he could fall asleep, though... “…love you…”

“Love you, too, Noct,” Prompto whispered, and then they fell asleep.


	23. Chapter 23

X*X(A Few Days Later…)X*X

Three days had passed them by since the triplets had been born during the invasion on Insomnia by Niflheim. And ever since then, news had begun spreading among the people that Aldercapt had been killed by Regis during the assault, hence ending the war, and that Loqi had been arrested and was soon to be executed. However, there was more news that was to be announced, as the King was to make his statement in regards to the invasion, too. This, however, needed to be discussed with the Crown Prince and his mate, first.

“Easy, princess,” Noctis chuckled as the small raven in his arm tried to reach for the bottle of formula the prince was picking up. “Food’s not going anywhere.”

“Same for you, Ven,” Prompto laughed softly as Ventus reached for his own bottle eagerly. “It’s coming.” Looking at his mate, he commented, “Aurora seems to be the only patient one at feeding time.”

“Looks like,” Noctis said with a smile as the blonde girl didn’t give so much as a peep while her siblings were being fed. She merely rested in the crib and watched her parents feed Regina and Ventus.

“At least she’s behaving herself,” the alpha chuckled, as Ventus began to suckle greedily at his bottle when it came into range.

Regina allowed a content murmur as she, too, began to suckle on her bottle. “Heh…hungry much, little one?”

“I’d say so,” Prompto smiled, waiting until Ventus had finished feeding before gently burping him. “Better, Ven?” He got a happy giggle in response.

As Regina finished her own breakfast, she gave a small murmur as she was placed against the prince’s shoulder. And as Noctis patted her back, she gave a small burp, as well. “There we go…”

“Buh.”

“All right, which one of us feeds Aurora this time?” Prompto asked as Ventus cuddled closer in his dad’s hold.

“I’ll take care of her,” Noctis said softly, as he moved to put Regina back in the triplets’ shared crib. “C’mon, sunshine,” he said as he then lifted up Aurora.

“You just love holding them, huh?” his mate teased lightly as Ventus giggled. “What, am I being funny?” he chuckled.

“Maybe,” Noctis chuckled as he lightly bounced Aurora, who giggled happily. And as he brought up her bottle, she brought up her small hands, taking hold of it as the omega brought it in range to suckle on it. Ventus then watched his little sister for a little bit as Prompto held him, before he settled against his father with a quiet mewl.

“Seems he’s getting tired already,” Prompto murmured, before looking to see Regina was already fast asleep. “Guess it’s time for the food coma,” he laughed softly.

“Heh…looks like…” the prince murmured as Aurora ate quietly. Prompto then set Ventus into the crib with Regina, before going to Noctis and wrapping his arms around the raven’s waist.

“Hm?” Noctis hummed as he looked over.

“I’m just happy,” Prompto murmured, kissing his omega’s cheek.

“Heh…like I couldn’t tell…”

“Nothing wrong with it, though,” the blonde smiled, watching as Aurora finished off her bottle. Noctis smiled as he pulled the bottle away, gently placing her to his shoulder to let her burp as well, at which point she yawned almost immediately. “Let’s get her to sleep, and then we’ll go get some breakfast ourselves,” Prompto murmured.

“Right,” Noctis agreed, moving to place Aurora with her siblings. Immediately, the small girl curled up against Ventus.

“There we go,” Prompto smiled, before linking his fingers with Noctis’s as they left to the dining room. This made Noctis hum softly, as they walked down the halls. When they arrived at the dining room, Regis was there, looking through some documents. He looked up upon their arrival, and smiled kindly.

“I assume the triplets got their breakfast already?” he smiled.

“Yeah,” Noctis chuckled. “They were pretty hungry.”

“I’m sure they were. They’re growing little ones, after all,” Regis laughed softly. “Now, come and get some breakfast yourselves.”

“Right,” Noctis agreed, taking his seat. Once Prompto was seated as well, Regis spoke again.

“I wanted to actually ask you boys something,” he told them, gaining the couple’s attention. “I want to ask for your permission to share what had happened for the attack from Niflheim, including your omega status, Noctis.”

Any other day before then, Noctis would’ve either frozen up or panicked. But this time he did neither as he considered his father’s words carefully.

“You okay, Noct…?” Prompto asked softly, concerned about his mate.

“Yeah, I’m okay…” Noctis assured with a small nod.

“Would you be ready for that?” the blonde asked.

“…I don’t think I have much of a choice now,” the prince admitted. “One way or another they’ll find out. Especially with the triplets…”

“I gotcha… It’s not like we can keep them hidden forever…” Prompto agreed.

“Especially when they need to go to school…” Noctis added.

“Very true. Which is part of why I asked,” Regis chimed in. “So, Noctis, Prompto, will you be present?”

“…” Noctis considered that for a moment, frowning, before he gave a small sigh and nodded his head. “Yeah.”

“As long as Noct will be, then I’ll be there, too,” Prompto nodded.

“Glad to hear it. Then I’ll set up for the statement this afternoon. The sooner we can put the people’s minds at ease, the better,” the King told them.

“Right,” the prince said with a nod, as Ignis brought out breakfast for the couple.

“Ignis, see to it that the people are aware of my statement in regards to the attack from Niflheim this afternoon,” Regis told the Advisor.

“As you wish, Your Highness,” the beta nodded, before leaving. As Ignis left, Noctis hummed softly, before he began on his breakfast. Prompto began to eat as well, hoping that the people would take the news of Noctis’s omega status well.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

When the afternoon rolled in, the triplets were resting in their parents’ arms, Prompto holding Ventus and Noctis holding the girls while they waited for the announcement of their presence at the podium overseeing the people. As Regis spoke, telling the people of the news that Aldercapt was dead and the war was over, Prompto looked at his omega in slight concern. Remembering his reaction to the possible statement back during his pregnancy, he couldn’t help but worry.

However, the prince seemed perfectly calm, as he sat in a chair, with Regina’s head resting against his shoulder, and Aurora laying along his arm, napping with a thumb in her mouth. Noctis was wearing the Royal Raiment, too, since this was an official address to the public. Prompto, on the other hand, was wearing his Crownsguard fatigues, since he needed to look professional as well, and what better way than to wear clothes that showed he was protecting the prince?

Finally, the moment of truth came.

“As for the reason to Niflheim’s attack on Insomnia…” Regis began, “it was due to them discovering Prince Noctis is an omega.”

“This is it,” Prompto mumbled, as Ventus looked at his father curiously. He then stood with his mate, and they stepped out with the triplets. Upon the sight of their prince, Prompto, and the triplets, the people began to murmur in shock, and Prompto glanced at Noctis briefly.

“Silence!” Regis snapped, trying not to scare his grandchildren. Regardless, Ventus snuggled closer to his dad with a quiet whine. “No matter what, Prince Noctis is going to be your king when my time ends. No one should make any objections to this, nor to his mate, Prompto Argentum. They have already bonded, and have their children now, Regina, Ventus, and Aurora. They were born a month early, during the attack on Insomnia, due to the intense stress of the situation on Prince Noctis.”

At this point, Regina mewled and blinked open sleepy eyes, beginning to look around curiously. That is, until Noctis adjusted his hold on her so she could snuggle her face against his neck, which she did happily.

There were quiet mumblings throughout the crowd as their gazes went to the triplets the couple held, and surprisingly, there were no angry voices or looks or anything of the sort. Soon, however, there was applause throughout the crowd, all of the people cheering for their prince and his alpha, as well as their children.

This, clearly, startled Noctis somewhat, but he didn’t have the chance to respond to it a lot more than that as the cheers finally woke up little Aurora as well, who mewled pitifully and cuddled up close to the omega. However, there was definitely a hint of a relieved smile playing on his face. With his free hand, Prompto wrapped it around Noctis’s shoulders, smiling in relief as well.

“Thank you all for your acceptance,” Regis said over the cheering, which quieted the crowd again. “We hope for many more decades and centuries to come of peace and acceptance in Insomnia, and Lucis overall.” With that said, he smiled kindly, before looking at his son and his family. He’d definitely grown up over the years, and he was almost ready to become King, but only when he was truly ready would that time come. He then stepped down from the podium with Noctis and Prompto following, even as the people continued to applaud the royal family.

As they stepped through the doors back into the Citadel, Regina looked over Noctis’s shoulder toward the area they’d just come from. However, when the prince lightly bounced her in his arm she yipped, then giggled and settled back against Noctis.

Ventus also giggled at his mother’s antics with his big sister, making Prompto chuckle. “They like you guys,” he commented, kissing the little blonde’s forehead.

Aurora, unlike her siblings, seemed more confused than anything, still sucking on her thumb as she watched quietly. “Heh…looks like it,” Noctis chuckled softly.

“They’re precious, and part of the royal family. Of course they’re loved,” Regis chuckled.

“…mer,” was Regina’s response, making her mother chuckle.

“I know, princess, I know,” he said warmly. Ventus giggled at Regina’s response, before mewling at her, which got him a mewl in response.

Prompto chuckled at their antics, before looking at Noctis contently. “…Happy?” he asked as Ventus poked Regina’s cheek where she rested when the alpha got close enough to the prince.

Of course, the poke resulted in Ventus being poked right back, drawing soft laughs from their parents. “Yeah,” Noctis said finally.

“Good,” Prompto smiled, kissing his omega’s cheek as the two parents headed to the nursery. When they got there, Prompto said, “How about I get something for us to munch on while you tuck these three in for a quick nap?”

Noctis smiled as Aurora yawned around her thumb. “Sounds good,” he said as he set the girls down in their shared crib, where Regina immediately moved to curl around the smaller girl. Prompto then set Ventus on Aurora’s other side, and he curled around her as well, mewling softly.

“All right, I’ll be right back,” the alpha murmured, kissing Noctis’s cheek before leaving to the kitchen. Just as Prompto turned the corner, though, he ran smack dab into someone heading the other way.

“Oof!”

“Shit, sorry, I wasn’t expecting—” Prompto started to apologize, when he looked up and saw he’d smacked into Hyung, making him tense slightly.

“…” The blonde Kingsglaive regarded the other alpha for several long, tense moments… but then he merely hummed and stepped aside. “…so adjust your speed,” he said simply, before he walked away without another word.

Prompto blinked, startled by the Kingsglaive member’s easygoing disposition with him, compared to before. He then smiled lightly to himself, figuring that, after everything that had happened, Hyung had either come to terms with or accepted him being Noctis’s mate.

“And just what are you smiling at, hm?” a familiar voice suddenly quipped.

“Not much, just had a small run-in with Hyung,” the blonde replied, looking to see Kuja behind him. “He doesn’t seem bothered by me being here anymore.”

Kuja chuckled softly as he leaned against the wall. “Yes, he does seem a lot less agitated as of late…” he admitted. After a moment, though, he allowed a smile and asked simply, “So… how are the little ones doing?”

“They’re doing really good,” Prompto smiled softly. “They’re already gaining their own unique personalities.”

“Oh? So soon?”

“Yeah,” the alpha chuckled. “Ven seems more playful, Regina a bit more serious, and Aurora’s the quiet one.”

Kuja allowed a chuckle of his own in response. “Charming. …ah. You may get have some company dropping by soon. Just so you know, dear~”

“I gotcha,” Prompto smiled slightly, waving briefly to Kuja before resuming his trip to the kitchen.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

Meanwhile, Noctis was doing a few rounds of King’s Knight while the triplets napped, though his attention would continuously shift between the game and his children. Regina and Ventus were still curled around their youngest sibling protectively, while Aurora was laying on her back, a light mewling coming from her like some sort of a makeshift snore. It was just so precious, that he’d lost his focus on more than one occasion, almost costing him the perfect rank he’d been aiming for.

“Picture-perfect moment,” Prompto’s voice chuckled when he saw them as he walked in, before he snapped a picture of the triplets.

At that, Noctis looked up, smiling softly. “Hey.”

“Hey yourself,” his alpha smiled, setting down their snack by the omega before settling down by him. “Still sleeping peacefully?”

“For now,” Noctis confirmed, as he finished the dungeon he’d been playing in.

“Well, let’s snack for a bit, and then we’ll rest here, too,” Prompto suggested, kissing his mate’s cheek.

“Hmhmm…” Noctis hummed softly, smiling at the blonde as he took the plate he was passed.

“I ran into Kuja while on my way to the kitchen earlier, and he told me we’ll be having a visitor soon,” the blonde told Noctis.

“Oh did he?” Noctis chuckled. “Guess we should get ourselves ready then, hm?”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Prompto smiled. “I just hope the triplets will be okay with our visitor’s energy.”

“I’m pretty sure Ven will be fine…Regina might not care, but I’m certainly worried about Aurora,” the omega admitted.

“I think it’ll be a good, kind of contagious energy. So I’m sure she’ll be okay after a bit,” his alpha assured him.

“Okay…” Noctis murmured, as he took a bite from the small cake Prompto had gotten them. Prompto did the same, taking a bite as well while they waited on their visitor. As they finished those, there was a small knock on the door.

Prompto chuckled, getting to his feet and going to the door, opening it. “Heya Josh,” he greeted with a smile.

“Hi-hi!” Joshua smiled up at Prompto. “Can…can I see the babies?”

“Of course, but they’re sleeping right now, so keep your voice quiet, okay?” the blonde told him.

“Okay!”

Prompto then led Joshua over to the crib, near Noctis. “Let’s show him, huh Noct?”

Noctis nodded with a warm smile, reaching down and ruffling Joshua's hair, before he picked him up into his arms. And as he stood up properly, he then held the small silverette over the crib. And as Joshua looked down at the triplets, he gasped in awe.

“Cute, huh?” Prompto murmured, and at the quiet words, Ventus began to stir, mumbling quietly before opening his big blue eyes to look above him.

This made Joshua smile excitedly. “Hi!” he chirped as he waved at Ventus. The small blonde blinked a little, before giggling merrily. Smiling, Noctis looked over to Prompto.

Nodding, Prompto reached down into the crib and picked Ventus up, making him coo happily. “This is Ventus, Josh.”

Joshua smiled brightly as he reached over and lightly patted Ventus on his head. “Hi-hi!”

Ventus mewled at the touch, before snuggling into his father’s hold. Joshua giggled, before looking back down to the girls. And as he did, Regina whined softly as she blinked her eyes open halfway.

This made Noctis smile warmly. “Good morning, princess,” he said softly.

“…mer…”

“That’s Regina, Josh,” the alpha told him.

“Hi!” Joshua chirped as Noctis let him down a little so he could reach out for Regina. However, the small raven frowned and ducked away from the boy’s hand, curling more firmly around Aurora.

“Huh?”

“She’s not as playful as Ven, and she’s also protective of Aurora,” Prompto told the boy.

“Oh! Okay,” Joshua said with a nod, watching Regina curiously. And the small girl looked back at him with something like an angry pout.

“Regina, it’s okay, princess,” Prompto soothed.

“…buh.”

Noctis sighed softly, smiling a bit as he set Joshua down on the floor. again. While Joshua looked at him strangely, Noctis moved over and lifted up both the girls from the crib. While Aurora remained fast asleep, Regina gave a small, unhappy whine as Noctis dropped to his knees. “It’s okay, princess. Joshua’s nice. He won’t hurt Aurora…kay?”

“Bah!” Ventus chirped, smiling happily at his big sister.

“…bub,” was Regina’s response as she cuddled up closer to their mother.

“Princess, it’s okay…” Noctis murmured as he rubbed her back.

Joshua, meanwhile, pouted. “Does she not like me…?”

“I’m sure she’ll warm up to you with a little time, Josh, so don’t worry,” Prompto assured him, as Ventus reached out for Joshua’s hair. “Ah-ah, Ven. No hair pulling,” his father chided as he pulled back a little.

This made Joshua blink, before he burst into light giggles. Which was enough for Aurora to mewl unhappily as she slowly blinked her eyes open as well.

Noctis smiled softly as he adjusted his hold on her. “Hello, sunshine,” he said warmly. “You have a guest.”

“…mer?”

“Ah!” Ventus said, pointing at Joshua.

Aurora blinked, tilting her head around toward Joshua. The small boy in question smiled at the much smaller girl. “Hewwo!” he said, reaching out and curling a finger around her hand in a makeshift “handshake”. “I’m Joshua. Nice to meetchu!”

“…?” Aurora blinked, twice, a small confused sound escaping her mouth. And all the while Regina watched Joshua with a deep scowl and puffy cheeks.

“Easy, princess,” Prompto soothed, tapping her nose lightly. “It’s fine.”

Regina yipped in response, before she pouted unhappily. Joshua watched her for a moment, before he took a step forward and held out his finger, tapping her small hand.

“Hey theres,” he said with a smile.

“See, Regina? Joshua’s nice,” her father told her with a smile.

“…” Regina didn’t say anything in response, even as Joshua curled his finger around her hand.

Noctis smiled softly, even as Aurora watched Joshua interact with her sister. Ven watched as well, still smiling at his big sister.

“…buh…” Regina said finally, much to her parents’ amusement.

“There we go, princess,” Prompto praised. Noctis smiled as he pressed a kiss to the girl’s forehead, making the girl mewl softly. Aurora, meanwhile, blinked, before she giggled a bit, which caught Joshua’s attention again. Smiling, he reached out and gently rubbed her head, making her mewl happily. Ventus mewled as well, snuggling into his father’s arms, yawning a bit.

“Still tired, hm?” Noctis hummed, smiling, as Aurora, too, yawned lazily. “Let’s get you kids back to bed, then.”

“Yeah,” Prompto nodded, standing up and letting his mate put the girls back into the crib first before putting Ventus in on Aurora’s other side, the boy curling around his sister with a soft mewl.

Joshua watched them do, blinking in awe as Regina and Ventus settled around their younger sister. After a while, he looked up and asked, “They always do that??”

“Curl around Aurora? Yes,” Noctis said with a smile. “Aurora is the youngest…so they want to protect her.”

“Ooooh!”

“That’s why Regina was being grumpy earlier,” Prompto explained.

“Oh! Okays! Tha makes sense!”

“Do you like them, Josh?” the blonde asked, despite already knowing the answer.

“Uh-huh! They’re cutes!” Joshua chirped with a smile.

“They really are,” Prompto agreed, before he blinked in realization. “Noct, we still haven’t told Luna!”

“Oh shoot! You’re right…!” Noctis hissed, reaching into his pocket and quickly calling Luna on FaceTime. Luna answered within two rings, her face appearing on the phone’s screen.

“Noctis! Are you okay? I heard about Niflheim invading!” she demanded worriedly.

“I’m okay, Luna, don’t worry,” Noctis said with a small smile. “Actually…we have something to show you…”

“What is it?” she asked.

Noctis smiled as he briefly walked around the crib. “Okay…three, two, one…” he said, before he hit the button to flip to the rear camera. Immediately, Luna gasped, and she nearly squealed at the sight of the triplets on the camera.

“You already had them?!” she gasped. “They’re so precious!”

“Yeah, the stress of the attack induced Noct into early labor,” Prompto explained.

Noctis chuckled softly as he reached out softly with a hand. “This little one,” he said as he lightly rubbed Regina’s head, “is the eldest. Her name’s Regina.”

“The little boy on the other side is Ventus. He’s the middle child,” Prompto said.

“And right in the middle is Aurora… You can tell she’s already in good hands.”

“That she is,” Luna smiled warmly. “You two made some cuties.”

“Hahah. I suppose so,” Noctis said with a smile, even though Luna couldn’t see it.

“Well, since it sounds like the war is over, Zidane and I will definitely be coming by soon to meet them in person,” Luna giggled.

“Please do,” Prompto replied. “We’d like to see you guys again.”

“Yeah… Oh, and check with Zidane if he can get Kurasa to stop by with Neku, too.”

“I will,” Luna said.

“Actually, I saw Kurasa when I was dealing with Loqi after he ran off,” Prompto told them.

“What?” Noctis asked curiously.

“Yeah. He used paralyzing darts on Loqi, which allowed me to come back so I didn’t have to watch him,” the blonde explained.

“Really now? That’s interesting,” Luna murmured

“Yeah… I thought he said he didn’t want to be in Insomnia before the war was over…” Noctis murmured.

“Well, I almost didn’t recognize him in his getup, but the red hair was a giveaway,” Prompto chuckled.

“I can see that,” Luna giggled.

“Huh… guess we’ll have to ask him later…” Noctis murmured, as he flipped the camera back around. “Anyway, Luna, we’ll see you later, kay?”

“Definitely,” she nodded. “Take care of yourselves and the little ones, okay?”

“Will do,” Prompto chuckled.

“No worries. You take care, too, Luna.”

“I will,” Luna giggled, before she hung up.

“Well, I’m sure that made her eager for her own baby,” Prompto commented once the call ended.

“I’ll bet,” the prince said. Just then, Joshua tugged on his pants. “Yes?”

“Fwiend?”

Noctis smiled as he crouched down. “Yeah. Luna’s a good friend.”

“Ooooh! Okays!”

“Hey Josh, I saw Ignis making some sweets in the kitchen earlier. Why don’t you go check with your dad and see if you can have one while the triplets nap?” Prompto suggested, lightly ruffling the boy’s hair.

“…! Yay!” Joshua cheered (quietly), nodding before he hurried off.

“Hah… so easily amused.”

“That’s how kids are,” the alpha chuckled, wrapping an arm around Noctis’s shoulders and holding him close as he kissed his temple. “So, everything turned out good in the end, huh?”

“Yeah…” Noctis murmured softly with a smile.

“…I’m glad we’re together, Noct,” Prompto said softly, guiding his omega into lying down on the blanket with him. They’d kept the blanket fort made for when they wanted to hang out in the nursery.

Noctis smiled as they settled in the fort, curling up against Prompto with a hum. “Mm… I’m glad, too…”

“I love you…” the blonde whispered, kissing his mate on the lips softly.

“Mm…love you, too…” Noctis murmured lazily.

“Let’s get some rest, love,” Prompto said quietly, holding Noctis close as he closed his eyes.

“…right…”


	24. Chapter 24

X*X(6 Months Later)X*X

It had been six months since the triplets had been born, and while their personalities were still far from fully developed, there was no denying that they would all end up being as different as night and day from each other. Regina still didn’t seem to trust Joshua very much, but at least she wasn’t as pouty as she was initially.

Once they were old enough, they were also given the Moogle plushies their parents had won for them, and they immediately homed in on their own favorite plushies. And while they did often sleep curled around the dolls, they still preferred to sleep close together.

One of the things they enjoyed even more, though, was sleeping in the blanket forts with their parents.

“…buh!” a small voice called out, before there was a tug on Noctis’s arm.

“…mmm?” Noctis hummed lazily, blinking his eyes open. When his vision cleared, he caught sight of little Regina tugging on his arm. “What’s wrong, princess?”

“Abuh!” she called out, much to her mother’s amusement.

“Okay… I take it you’re hungry, hm?”

“Bub!”

“Okay, okay… Getting to it, sweetheart.”

“…Morning already…?” Prompto’s voice mumbled as he began to wake up, much to his mate’s amusement.

“Yep,” Noctis chuckled as he pushed up slowly.

“Abuh!” Regina called out to Prompto.

“Good morning, princess,” the blonde smiled. Soon after he spoke, there was a happy giggle from his other side, and he looked to see Ventus watching him happily. “Well, good morning to you, too, Ven. Hungry?”

“Ah!”

Only Aurora was still asleep, though she appeared to be slowly waking up as well.

“Good morning, sunshine,” Prompto smiled, kissing her forehead to wake her.

“Buuuhhh…” was the whined response. Her father laughed softly, looking to Noctis.

“Just like her mother,” he smirked.

“Very funny,” Noctis chuckled as he got out from the fort to put get to his phone.

“Come on, sunshine, time for breakfast for you three,” the blonde murmured, scooping Aurora up into his arms while Ventus mewled eagerly.

Regina, meanwhile, was crawling after Noctis over the pillows. Thankfully, Noctis spotted her doing so before she could fall off them so he could catch. “Oh? Wanna come with, princess?”

“Abuuh!”

Laughing softly, Noctis placed her on his hip as he picked up his phone to call Ignis.

“Like I said, she’s your doppelganger,” Prompto laughed as Ventus giggled.

“I hadn’t noticed,” the prince chuckled as he put Ignis on speaker.

“Good morning, Noct,” Ignis’s voice said on the other end. “I assume the little ones are ready for their breakfast?”

“I would think so… What do you think, Regina?” Noctis asked with a smirk as he moved the phone to the little girl.

“BUB!!” was the immediate response. This drew a soft laugh from the Advisor.

“All right, I’ll be right up with breakfast for all of you,” he chuckled.

“Thanks, Iggy,” Noctis said, which drew the small raven’s attention. But shortly after she turned back to the phone.

“Bab, Bibby!” she chirped, which made Noctis stare at her in slight surprise. Instead of being surprised, however, this drew a full laugh from the beta.

“Just like you, Noct,” he laughed.

Noctis smiled softly at that. “Guess you’re right,” he said, planting a kiss to her forehead.

“Buh!”

“I told you!” Prompto laughed, while Ventus and Aurora giggled. As the prince joined his mate and the other kids, Regina settled happily against his side, lightly kicking out her feet. Prompto rested against the raven’s other side, while Ventus snuggled close to his father and Aurora settled in the alpha’s hold.

“…abuh!” Regina suddenly chirped as she climbed over Noctis to plop down on his chest. Not that Noctis minded; he just laughed as the girl got herself comfy.

Aurora blinked briefly, before she tried to wriggle away to join her sister. And Prompto let her, while Ventus seemed content where he was, mewling a little. Noctis smiled as Aurora pressed up to his side, trying to climb up and join her sister, which she needed her mother’s help for, still. And once she was, Regina lightly patted her head with a cheery gurgle.

“Those two will be thick as thieves in their teens, I’ll bet,” Prompto commented.

“Probably…” Noctis murmured as Aurora climbed on top her older sister, who yelped, but allowed her to do so. “Ven may end up feeling a little left out, then…”

“I’m sure he’ll have them, no matter what, but I know what you mean,” the blonde nodded, stroking their son’s hair.

“Yeah,” the prince murmured as he rubbed a finger along the boy’s cheek. Ventus merely cooed happily at the touch, before there was a knock on the door.

“It’s open, Iggy.”

The sandy blonde entered at the call, smiling warmly at the sight of the family in the blanket fort.

“You’ll never grow out of these, will you?” he chuckled.

“Nope.”

“What can I say?” Noctis added with a smirk. “Plus, the kids like ‘em.”

“Buh!” Regina called out in response.

“Ah!” Ventus suddenly chirped, noticing Ignis had their formula on the tray.

“Seems like they’re eager,” Prompto laughed lightly.

“Then here you go,” Ignis smiled, setting the tray on the end table nearby. “Your breakfasts are covered, that way these three can eat first.”

“Right, thanks,” the prince said as he carefully sat up, holding the girls and letting them slide down to his lap.

“Aaahh!” Aurora called out, holding out her hands as if she could reach the bottles in the table. This made her father laugh, before he scooped Ventus up into his arm and then reached for the bottles himself, passing a couple to Noctis and taking one for Ventus. Nodding in thanks, Noctis passed them to the girls, who immediately grabbed hold and put the teats in their mouths to suckle happily. Ventus did the same when offered his, making his father smile as Ignis left.

As Regina continued to suckle, she flopped back to land on her back against Noctis’s stomach while Aurora settled against his thigh.

“What a goof,” Prompto laughed softly as the small blonde by his side snuggled close.

“Burble!” Regina called out around her bottle, as if she’d understood what her father had said.

“Silly,” the alpha smiled, ruffling her hair a little. Noctis chuckled softly as Regina “grumbled” around her bottle, but she didn’t say anything else as she settled down again. Aurora, meanwhile, kept to herself as she worked on her breakfast. Ventus kept to himself as well, before finishing rather quickly, lowering his bottle with a burp.

“Done already, huh?” Prompto smiled.

“Buh.”

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

Regina finished second, giving a small burp of her own as she pulled away. Noctis smiled as he ruffled her hair, before turning to Aurora. The small blonde was still suckling, much slower than either of her siblings had.

“Enjoying breakfast, sunshine?”

“Mrrr…”

“Apparently so. She already has a taste for Ignis’s cooking,” Prompto snickered.

“Haha…”

Finally, Aurora finished as well, mewling a bit before a small burp escaped her.

“Better?” their father asked, getting a content coo from Ventus in reply.

“Buu!” Regina chirped, while Aurora yawned. As the family rested there, Prompto looked at Noctis.

“I wonder if Luna’s had her baby by now?” he murmured.

“She should’ve…” the prince murmured—right before his phone went off.

“…! Bubbub-bub!” Regina cheered in tune with the phone’s jingle.

Laughing softly, Noctis reached for his phone. And he chuckled as he saw who was calling on FaceTime. “Speak of the devil…” he said as he pressed accept.

“Hello, Noctis,” Luna’s smiling face greeted as she appeared on the screen…along with a tiny, blonde infant in her arms.

“Hey Luna, we were just talking about you,” Noctis said with a smile as Regina crawled over. “So…who’s the little tyke there?”

“This is Lann,” she smiled, excitement evident in her voice. “His sister, Reynn, is sleeping with Zidane right now.”

“Twins, huh?” Noctis chuckled, as he lightly turned the screen so Prompto could see as well. “Well, he looks adorable.”

“…burb!” the boy cooed.

“Yes, since Zidane’s a twin, I’m not too surprised, to be honest,” Luna giggled, smiling at the sight of Ventus with Prompto. “They’ve gotten bigger already, huh?”

“Yeah, they can even support their bottles on their own at meal times,” Prompto chuckled.

“Yep,” Noctis said as he gently tugged the girls up and into the view of the camera. Aurora seemed a little confused, but Regina actually turned to the phone with a curious blink.

“Buh?” Ventus gurgled, a bit puzzled as Prompto held him.

“They’re precious,” Luna smiled. “We’ll definitely come and visit with our own soon.”

“Looking forward to it,” Noctis chuckled. “See you soon, Luna.”

“See you soon, boys,” she giggled, before ending the call. Prompto smiled when the call ended.

“Well, I’m definitely looking forward to them visiting now,” he murmured.

“Same…” Noctis murmured, smiling as Regina poked her brother. “Sure these little ones can go with some new friends, too.”

“Definitely,” Prompto agreed.

“Anyway, shall we get our own breakfast?”

“Sure,” the blonde nodded, reaching over and grabbing the tray for himself and Noctis.

“Thanks,” Noctis said with a smile, as the triplets began playing with each other.

“Anytime,” Prompto smiled back, as he began to eat while watching their children play. As their parents ate, Regina and Ventus played happily, with Aurora watching from a short distance, for the time being. “Think Kurasa will come by with Neku at any point soon?” the alpha wondered aloud as they ate.

“Who knows? The war’s over, so he might stop by…”

“Hopefully, that way Neku can come out of his shell a bit with Josh,” Prompto smiled.

“We’ll just have to wait and see.”

 

X*X(A Few Weeks Later…)X*X

It had been a few weeks since Prompto and Noctis had heard from Luna about her and Zidane’s twins being born, and finally, the new family was coming to Insomnia to visit.

“Excited, Noct?” the blonde asked as they got the triplets dressed.

“Maybe a little bit,” Noctis chuckled as he helped Aurora into one of the black dresses Ignis had prepared for her and her older sister. While the raven dressed Aurora, though, and Prompto was dressing Ventus into his nice little black shirt and pants, the blonde noticed Reginia eyeing the other dress fishily.

“Uh, Noct? I have a feeling Regina’s gonna get upset when we try to put the dress on her…” he murmured.

Humming, the prince looked at Prompto, before he turned to Regina as he tugged Aurora’s dress into place. “…yyyeaaah… I get the feeling you’re right…”

“What should we dress her in, then?” the alpha wondered, frowning.

“…” After a moment of thought, Noctis sighed. “I’ll have Ignis get another set of Ven’s clothes. They should still fit her.”

“I’m sure she’ll enjoy that better than the dress,” Prompto nodded. Noctis nodded as he picked up his phone and called Ignis.

“Noct? What can I do for you?” Ignis asked after the first ring.

“Hey, Iggy… Don’t suppose you still have one of those outfits for Ven lying around, do you?”

“I do, why do you ask?”

“Well…” Noctis started, just as Regina kicked the dress away from her. “…Regina’s not very fond of her own.”

“She just kicked the dress away, too, if that’s any indication,” Prompto called to Ignis.

“Well, in that case, I’ll be right up,” the beta told Noctis.

“Thanks, Iggy.”

“…wuh?” Aurora ‘asked’ of her sister.

“Bleh!” was Regina’s response, as she stuck out her tongue at the location the dress had fallen.

“Aaaand it’s official, our princess hates dresses,” Prompto chuckled, lightly ruffling her hair, making Ventus giggle and said princess yip before she tried to bat his hand away. Noctis smiled with a half-concealed chuckle of his own. “It’s okay, Regina. Dresses aren’t for everyone,” her father assured her, kissing her forehead.

“Buh.”

Just then, there was a knock on the door. “It’s open,” Noctis called out.

“Hello,” Ignis greeted as he entered with one of Ven’s outfits. “Here’s the spare outfit for Regina to wear.”

“Great. Thanks,” Noctis said sincerely as he accepted the clothes. After setting them on the table’s surface, he picked up the shirt. “Okay, princess. Let’s get you dressed up, too, kay?”

“Bub.”

This time, Regina had no protests to the outfit once she was dressed, and actually seemed quite pleased with it.

Aurora watched curiously as Regina giggled happily, and Noctis sighed softly. “What are we gonna do with you, huh, princess?”

“Abuh!”

“Just love her to pieces,” Prompto replied, chuckling as Ventus pointed at Regina’s outfit.

“Buh!”

“Burh!” Regina ‘said’ in response, much to the couple’s amusement.

“Alright, let’s get you downstairs. Your Auntie Luna should be here soon enough,” Noctis said with a smile as he lifted the girls into his arms.

“Same for you, Ven,” Prompto added, plucking the small boy up into his hold and getting the door. When they got downstairs to the main entrance, Luna and Zidane had just arrived with Lann and Reynn. “Hey guys!”

Zidane looked up at the call and grinned as he briefly adjusted his hold on the girl in his arms so he would wave. “Heyo, dudes!”

Noctis laughed a bit as they walked down the steps. “Hey,” he said, as Regina watched the new arrivals curiously.

“Hello, boys,” Luna smiled, gaining the attention of the boy in her own arms.

“How are you?” Prompto asked kindly as they got close.

“Oh we’re just peachy. Right, Reynn?” Zidane asked with a smirk as he lightly bounced the girl in his arms.

“Burrrb!” the little girl babbled with a merry giggle.

“Well hello there,” Prompto greeted her. “This is Reynn, right?”

“Yes, and this is Lann,” Luna giggled, adjusting her grip on Lann.

“Mur?” the small boy garbled around his small fist, which seemed to draw Regina’s attention, as she tilted her head, blinking curiously.

“…Abuh?” Aurora murmured softly, blinking.

“Well, guess I was right about you having your hands full, eh dude?” Zidane chuckled, making Noctis laugh softly.

“I suppose you have a point.”

“They’ve been really good so far, though,” Prompto pointed out.

“I’m sure we’ll have our hands full with these two, if they’re anything like Zidane was, based on Mikoto’s stories,” Luna laughed, while Zidane grinned.

“Hey, it keeps things interesting,” he said casually. Noctis smiled as Reynn yawned lazily and cuddled up against her father’s chest.

“Looks like she’s a daddy’s girl already,” Prompto commented as Ventus snuggle into his father’s arms.

“Hmm, kinda,” Zidane chuckled. “Might wanna get these little ones some rest.”

Noctis nodded as Aurora, in response to Reynn’s yawn, probably, also yawned and snuggled up. “Right; let’s get them to the lounge to rest up then.”

“Good idea,” Prompto nodded, and then the two families headed inside to the lounge, where the parents set the triplets and twins into a playpen there, allowing them to nap and/or play. Ventus was one of the first to nod off, snuggling against Aurora.

“Precious,” Luna commented with a smile.

“I’ll say,” Noctis agreed, as Regina crawled over to Lann, who was still awake. When she came into range, Lann watched her with curious eyes, before he gurgled as she suddenly booped him on the nose, giggling.

“She’s so silly,” Prompto chuckled, smiling.

“As long as she doesn’t hurt them it shouldn’t matter much, right?” Zidane chuckled as they watched Lann giggle and try to swipe for Regina’s nose, too.

“True, Prompto nodded, wrapping an arm around Noctis’s shoulders and holding him close as they sat on the loveseat.

Just then, Zidane’s phone went off, making him hum curiously as he moved back briefly. After pulling the device out and checking the screen, he chuckled. Then he tapped the screen and held it to his ear. “Yo, Kurasa!”

Prompto blinked, a bit surprised, but listened to Zidane’s end of the conversation, anyway, while Luna sat down by the playpen.

“…Yeah, we’re in Insomnia right now. You on your way?” Zidane asked casually. “…Sure. Where ya at now? … A’right. Gotta finish one thing and then I’ll head over. … Gotcha. See ya in a bit.”

After hanging up, he turned to the others. “Gotta go pick up Kurasa. He’s not gonna be able to get into the Citadel without a proper permit, after all.”

“Good point,” Luna nodded. “See you soon, Zidane~”

“Right! Be right back!” the blonde chirped, after briefly kissing Luna and lightly patting Lann on his head, before he headed out with a wave of his hand.

“I’m glad Kurasa’s here to visit, especially since Joshua can finally have a friend his age and hopefully, he’ll bring Neku out of his shell a bit,” Prompto said after Zidane left.

“Here’s hoping,” Noctis murmured with a smile, as he looked over to the kids again, as Regina moved to the ‘playcorner’, looking through the small pile of plush toys set up. As Prompto watched, too, he chuckled as Ventus began to stir from some of the noise, before he looked up, watching his big sister curiously.

“Seems like he might join in,” Luna giggled.

“Knowing Ven, that wouldn’t surprise me,” Prompto chuckled. Sure enough, Ventus yawned before pushing himself up and crawling over to Regina to play, despite how he kept looking back at Aurora, as though he wanted to make sure she was okay.

The small girl snorted lazily, but she didn’t wake up just yet. As Ventus came over to the stack, Regina finally pulled out a plush car, giggling as she moved it over the ground. The blonde boy smiled and giggled with her, before managing to pull out a stuffed black and silver colored dragon from the pile of plushies.

Regina giggled as she pushed the car to her brother, and, as it hit him, she said, “Buub!”

“Ah!” Ventus giggled, before shoving the plush dragon onto the car with a laugh.

“Wah!” Regina yelped, before she giggled and reached behind her. And then, with a ‘roar’ she bopped the dragon with a ‘hero’ plushie. Ventus merely giggled like mad, causing the others to wake up, and making his father chuckle at their antics.

“Heh…looks like they’re having fun,” Noctis said with a smile as Aurora mewled and rolled over to watch her siblings ‘fight’ with their plushies curiously.

“It certainly seems that way,” Luna agreed with a giggle as she watched the twins open their own eyes to watch as well. While Reynn was watching the scene unfold in something question, Lann gurgled and began to crawl over, definitely curious about the ‘fight’. Ventus smiled brightly as Lann joined them, before pulling out a random plushie and offering it to him.

“Abuh?” Lann gurgled, though he did accept the plushie, giggling as he buried his face in the soft toy. “Buh!”

Regina giggled as she lightly bopped the boy on the head with her own plushie. Which in turn, had Lann yipping before he giggled and tried to hit her back. Ventus then ganged up on Regina with Lann, bopping her with his plushie.

“Wuh! Moh!!” Regina ‘complained’, before she bopped her brother back. Which opened up the way for Lann to hit her. Ventus then took his turn while the small raven was distracted by Lann, bopping her on the head with a giggle.

“Wah!”

Noctis laughed as the kids played, even as Aurora moved over to Reynn, who was also watching with wide, curious eyes.

“Well, I’m glad they’re getting along so well,” Prompto murmured, kissing Noctis’s temple, and making Luna smile.

"Definitely..." Noctis agreed.

 

X*X(Meanwhile…)X*X

Meanwhile, Zidane hummed a little to himself as he sat by the immigration point on the back of his Chocobo. He was pretty sure Kurasa was coming soon, and he’d probably run into the same trouble he had; being the fact that he came on Chocobo-back. Despite Insomnia being open to most people (as long as they had the proper papers) they were a bit stingy when it came to Chocobos in the city. Likely because they were afraid the birds would mess up their spotless streets.

Thankfully, Zidane had a pass to bring his Chocobo into the city, courtesy of his connection to Kuja in the Kingsglaive. Kurasa was likely not going to be as lucky, but he was going to give the minstrel the benefit of the doubt for the moment. The redhead had claimed he’d be fine for the immigration, but that was something he seriously doubted.

However, as he stretched his arms over his head, he blinked as he spotted the red plumage of said minstrel’s Chocobo passing by the guards with zero difficulty. “Huh… guess he’s got this more under control than I thought…” he mumbled as he clicked his heels, making his own ride move over. “Yo dude!”

Kurasa looked up solemnly as he adjusted his travel hat, one hand still holding onto the reins, before he seemed to realize who he was looking at and he hummed, nodding his head briefly. Neku, in the meantime, was seated in front of the minstrel, and he looked over with a tilt of his head, but, again, he said nothing of it. “Zidane,” Kurasa said simply.

“Good to see ya, bud! C’mon, lemme show you the way, kay?”

“Hmm… if you must.”

Zidane merely laughed as he clucked his tongue to get his Chocobo moving, and Kurasa was quick to follow him. They were definitely causing a scene; what with them riding the large birds through the city, but neither of them really cared about that.

“So… any troubles getting here?”

“None,” the redhead said simply.

“Heheh. Figures.”

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

“Looks like they’re getting sleepy,” Luna commented as she looked over from talking with Noctis and Prompto when she heard Lann yawn tiredly.

“Not surprising, since they’ve been playing for a bit,” Prompto nodded.

“Yeah…” Noctis murmured as the triplets also yawned, before they began to cuddle close together for a nap, while Lann plopped down by his sister. Just then, a familiar humming came from the hallway leading to the lounge.

“Hm?” Prompto hummed, looking up as Zidane came in with Kurasa. “Hey guys!”

“Heyo!” Zidane said with a grin as they entered, while Kurasa merely hummed. “Kids are asleep, I see?”

“Yeah, only just,” Noctis confirmed.

While Kurasa didn’t seem all that impressed with the surrounding area, Neku was a little more in awe, looking around curiously from his spot behind the minstrel.

“Hi Neku,” Luna greeted kindly with a soft smile, waving to the small redhead.

“…!” The call made the small boy snap his gaze over, before he ducked behind Kurasa’s leg again.

“Still shy as ever, huh?” Prompto commented.

“Yep…” Kurasa sighed softly.

Noctis sighed softly, before he smiled. “Well, feel free to take a seat anywhere.”

“…Thanks,” the minstrel said as he removed his hat. He took a moment to glance around, before he finally moved to one of the chairs, with Neku right behind him.

“How have you been?” Luna asked politely once Zidane was next to her again.

“Well enough,” was the easy response as Kurasa dropped himself in an armchair. Normally, Neku would've joined him, but for once, his attention was drawn away from that to focus on the sleeping children in the playpen.

Noctis noticed, of course, but he merely smiled, deciding to let the boy investigate on his own accord when he felt like he wanted to. Instead, he turned to Kurasa. “I hope you didn’t have any troubles getting into Insomnia…”

“Eh,” the redhead said with a shrug. “They didn’t like us bringing Chichiri in, but aside from that, it was okay.”

“They’ll get over it,” Prompto chuckled. “After all, Chocobos are awesome.”

“Eh. I think it’s mostly about them keeping the city clean of…yanno,” Zidane said with a chuckle, even as he watched Neku from the corner of his eyes.

“Still lame to not like Chocobos just for that,” Prompto snorted, also watching Neku. Luna giggled at the comment as her gaze followed the small redhead.

“Not much to do about it,” Kurasa said solemnly, even as Neku silently scampered over to the playpen, where he proceeded to watch the children as they slept. Prompto shrugged as he watched Neku, even as he held Noctis close to himself.

Kurasa said nothing in response, even though he kept an eye on the smaller redhead. However, suddenly, he blinked twice, before he sighed as he shut his eyes. “Don’t even _think_ about it, Kuja.”

“Well, you're no fun,” came a familiar voice, as Kuja stepped out from the shadows with a small pout. “You haven’t changed at all, have you, dear?”

“Don’t. Call. Me. _Dear_ ,” Kurasa snarled icily through his teeth, to which Kuja merely giggled.

“I suppose that says enough~”

“Oh shuddap, peacock!”

“And how are you guys friends…?” Prompto snorted with an amused smirk.

“You tell me… I have NO idea…” Kurasa grumbled, rubbing his temples as if to ward off a headache.

“Aww…now _that’s_ mean, dear~” Kuja said with a pout, but a hint of a smirk was playing on his face.

“Would you STOP that already?!” the redhead demanded furiously, which made the others choke on their respective laughter. Prompto couldn’t resist the snicker that escaped him, while Luna giggled behind her hand.

Zidane, meanwhile, was biting his lip to try and not burst out laughing, as Noctis managed to disguise his amusement with a small snort. However, he also couldn’t help but frown. ‘ _If Kuja’s here…then where’s—_ ’

“Hi Pwince Noctis!” a familiar chirp called out suddenly as a familiar head of silver hair peeked over the armrest of the seat he was on.

‘ _Scratch that question,_ ’ he thought as he smiled at Joshua, reaching out to ruffle his hair. “Hey, Joshua. Free from school already?”

“Uh-huh! We had half days!”

“Nice,” Prompto chuckled, smiling at the boy.

Joshua giggled a little, smiling happily. And that was when he spotted Neku, who was crouched down by the playpen curiously. “…?”

“That’s Neku, Joshua. How about you go introduce yourself?” Luna suggested, smiling warmly at the young boy.

“Bad id—MPH?!” Kurasa’s words barely finished forming before Kuja abruptly covered his mouth with both hands, giggling cheekily when the redhead glared at him and tried to remove his hands.

Joshua didn’t seem to have noticed this, as he looked at Luna with wide, curious eyes, before his gaze went back to Neku. However, before he could move over, Noctis grabbed him by his shoulder. “Joshua, try to keep quiet, though… the little ones are asleep.”

“…oh! Okays!” the boy chirped, before he toddled over to Neku (quietly).

Zidane frowned a bit as he looked over to Kurasa and Kuja. He was starting to get a bad feeling about this… Prompto frowned a bit as well, wondering what was wrong with Joshua going and introducing himself to Neku.

Which he was about to find out, as Joshua stepped up next to the small redhead. “Hi!” he chirped (quietly, for the younger kids’ sake), which made Neku jump and whirl around to face him. “I’m Joshua! Nice to meetchu!”

“…” Neku didn’t respond to the greeting…but he did take several steps back.

“…? You kays?” Joshua asked, a bit worried, as he stepped closer to Neku—only for Neku to immediately back away and run around the playpen and away from Joshua. “Huh???”

“He’s really shy, Joshua,” Luna explained kindly.

Joshua pouted a little at the words, as he stepped closer to the boy, but he didn’t step around the pen just yet. “I’m not mean…” he said to the other boy. “I just wanna be friends.”

“…”

Prompto watched the two boys closely, hoping it would end well. Just then, Kuja suddenly gave a cry of pain, and when they looked over, the silverette was nursing his hand, while Kurasa was wiping his mouth with as small snort. “Seriously, idiot…” the redhead grumbled out.

Noctis frowned a little before he turned back to the boys, as Joshua tried to approach Neku again, only for the other boy to, once again, run the other way around the playpen.

Prompto then sighed. “Josh, I don’t think he wants to be friends just yet.”

“But…why?” Joshua asked, looking like he was about to cry.

“He’s really shy, sweetie, so he may not know how to be friends,” Luna explained sympathetically.

“…I can teach!” the small boy said with a smile, however, that faded as Kurasa got up from his seat and solemnly walked over to where Neku was. As soon as the taller redhead stepped into range, Neku scampered over and huddled behind his legs. Kurasa sighed heavily as he crouched down, tugging Neku in front of him and patting his head as he clung to the man.

“Mm…well, that’s a rather peculiar predicament…” Kuja sighed out, rubbing the side of his hand, still. “Perhaps you should teach your little one how to make friends better, hm?”

“…he’s not my son, Kuja.”

“…beg pardon? Then who—” Kuja cut off the question when Kurasa threw him a look, though, and the silverette's expression immediately darkened. “Oh…I see… That…would explain that,” he said coldly.

Zidane blinked, twice, looking between Kuja and Kurasa in question. “Uh…we missing something?”

“What happened?” Prompto asked, confused.

“…Nothing you need to concern yourself about,” was Kurasa’s only response as Neku huddled closer.

Kuja hummed softly as he regarded the pair, deep in thought…and then he smirked.

“Kuja, what’s that smirk for?” Luna frowned.

“Joshua, dear. Come over here,” the warlock said instead of answering.

The small boy blinked in surprise, but he did as he was told and scampered over as Kuja crouched down. Noctis frowned a little in worry as the man started whispering something in his son’s ear. And it was clear that Kurasa shared the prince’s apprehension.

“Kuja, what are you doing?” Prompto asked, becoming worried for Neku. However, Kuja didn’t answer the question as he finished saying what he had to say to Joshua, who had broken out into an excited smile. And Kuja merely gave the boy a small nudge to get back to Kurasa and Neku.

“Ne, Neku?” the small boy asked curiously. As expected, Neku didn’t respond or react to the call. Joshua was not deterred, however. “Um…you plays the violin, right?”

Surprisingly, that actually had Neku perk up and peek over to the other boy over Kurasa’s arm. Luna frowned curiously, watching the two boys intently, while Zidane seemed to realize what Kuja had planned, and he allowed a small grin.

“Papa’s teaching me’s to play piano! You wanna play togethers?”

Prompto then watched the small redhead to see his reaction.

“…” Neku frowned worriedly for a moment, before he looked up to Kurasa. Said redhead regarded the smaller boy for a moment, before he sighed and sat back a bit, cocking an eyebrow at the boy. “…”

After a long moment of silence, the boy bit his lip and, strangely, raised his arms and began to make signs with his hands. Kurasa merely watched this for a moment, and then began to make similar signs back.

“He’s signing?” Luna frowned curiously, wondering if Neku was possibly mute.

“Looks like…” Noctis murmured. Prompto also watched curiously, wondering what they were saying to each other.

After a moment more of the pair signing like that, the smaller of the redheads bit his lip, before he nodded slowly. Kurasa nodded back, and then lightly turned the boy around to face Joshua again.

Said boy, of course, had no idea what the pair had just done and was just watching them curiously. After a little bit, though, Neku bit his lip and nodded his head once. That made the small silverette smile brightly.

“Alright! C’mon! Let’s go!” Joshua chirped, grabbing Neku’s hand and immediately starting to tug him along, making the boy stumble after in alarm.

“Well, that worked out nicely,” Luna commented.

“Sure did,” Noctis chuckled as Kurasa stood up again.

“Hopefully that should help them bond,” Prompto smiled as he kissed Noctis’s temple.

“Let’s hope…” Noctis hummed.

“…achu!”

“Hm?” the blonde blinked, before going over to check on the triplets after hearing Aurora sneeze. The small girl sniffled a bit as she rubbed her little fist along her nose with a small mewl, blinking sleepily. “You okay, sunshine?” her father asked.

“Buh…”

“Maybe we should get you three to bed,” Prompto murmured.

“Buuuh…” Aurora whined, rubbing at her eyes, which caused her siblings to stir as well. Ventus whined as well, making his father chuckle.

“Or they just want to play more,” he laughed softly.

“Merr…” Regina whined as she rolled over onto her back.

“Hard to say,” Luna giggled.

“Buh…” Aurora mumbled, while Regina yawned lazily.

“Do we wanna take them to bed, Noct?” Prompto asked.

“I don’t think they’re too willing for that, yet,” Noctis chuckled, as the kids began to roll over to their stomachs again, gurgling a little.

“…definitely not…” Kurasa mumbled.

“Fair enough,” the blonde chuckled.

“Mer,” Regina chirped suddenly, as she crawled over and grabbed hold of one of the plushies, cuddling up with it. Ventus soon copied her, except he soon curled up against Aurora with his dragon plushie.

“Amuh…” Aurora cooed, snuggling up against her big brother.

“They’re definitely precious, guys. I hope for more from you two in the future,” Luna smiled softly.

“I’d like to think so, but no pressure. We have time to think about it, after all,” Prompto shrugged.

“Gee, thanks…” Noctis grumbled, even though he was still smiling.

“You know I mean well, Noctis,” Luna giggled, while Prompto kissed the raven’s temple.

Kurasa hummed as he plopped down on his seat again. Zidane hummed a bit as he watched the redhead. “…Sooo…” he started after a moment. “…what exactly happened?”

Prompto held Noctis close as he and Luna listened in.

“…” Kurasa didn't respond, but it was clear that there was something going on here.

“May want to consider explaining, Kurasa,” Kuja said solemnly—and the fact that he wasn’t using a nickname for the redhead was saying enough already.

“What happened?” Luna pressed gently.

“…” Kurasa sighed heavily. “Lotta stuff goin’ on in the family… let’s just leave it at that.”

“…Was he abused?” Prompto asked quietly.

“Thankfully _not_ that bad…” Kurasa mumbled. “Just…ugh…Neku’s the 15 th in our line.”

“Wait, what?!” the blonde yelped.

“Basically…” Kuja said simply, “Kurasa’s father has never been known to be…fond of anything but alphas. That should say enough.”

“…are you serious?” Noctis demanded with a small glare.

“…wish he wasn’t…” Kurasa grumbled.

“…He’s an evil, evil being…” Luna growled.

“What is _wrong_ with people?!” Prompto snarled irritably.

“Hm…”

“Question, dear… Neku hasn’t had his test yet, hm?” Kuja asked.

“Nope. But I wasn’t ‘bout to take the chance.”

“Hmm…don’t blame you…”

“Well, you guys are free to live here, if you want, where you guys are both safe. What do you think, Noct?” Prompto said, looking at his omega.

“Of course,” Noctis said with a nod.

“I appreciate it, but—” Kurasa started, but Kuja bopped him on the head, making him cry out.

“I wouldn’t try to object. Disobeying royalty’s not something you should be doing, hm?”

“Ugh…yeah, yeah…”

“Then it’s settled,” Luna smiled.

“Coolio!” Zidane laughed (softly, for the kids’ sake).

“I’m sure Josh’ll be happy, too,” Prompto chuckled.

“Uh-huh…sure…” Kurasa grumbled.

“…Bub,” Regina chirped suddenly, drawing the prince’s attention. Curious, he stood up and walked over to the pen.

“What’s wrong, princess?”

“Burh!” she called, holding out her hands.

“Hahah. Okay, I get it,” he laughed, reaching down to pick her up. “Happy?”

“Abuh!”

The happy cry woke Ventus, and he looked at his father with a bright smile after yawning.

“All right, Ven, I’m coming,” Prompto chuckled, coming over and picking up both Ventus and Aurora. “There we go.”

Zidane laughed as the kids cuddled up close. “Guess they just wanted to cuddle.”

“Looks like,” Noctis chuckled as he took his seat again.

“Nothing wrong with that, though,” Prompto laughed softly, sitting with Noctis.

“Bubuh,” Regina said with a happy smile as she settled against the prince’s chest.

“Murr…” Aurora murmured sleepily, still half-asleep.

Kurasa merely snorted as he settled back…before he hummed as he tilted his head. Prompto did the same, before he recognized what Kurasa was hearing: piano music. And it wasn’t long after that that the sound of a violin joined the piano shortly after.

“…buh?” Regina murmured curiously, tilting her head around to try and locate its source.

“Hahah… it’s okay, princess,” Noctis murmured with a smile.

“Mur…?” Ventus mumbled tiredly as he looked around as well.

“Go back to sleep, Ven. It’s okay,” Prompto smiled. Regina murmured, before she yawned and closed her eyes again.

“Sleepy little ones,” Luna giggled. “But they’ll be like that a lot.”

“I’m sure they will be…” Noctis chuckled as he gently ran his hand over Regina’s head, making her coo happily.

“Well, we have plenty of time to let them sleep,” Prompto murmured, kissing Ventus’s forehead, then Aurora’s.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

By the time the day ended, the triplets were absolutely exhausted. They were as limp as rags when their parents took them to their room to get them dressed for bed. Because of that, it took them a little longer than it usually took to get them dressed.

“Alright…there we go,” Noctis murmured as he tugged Regina’s sleep clothes into place.

“Just finished,” Prompto added as he finished getting Ventus into his own, while Aurora was already in her sleep clothes.

“Alright…let’s get these little ones tucked in, shall we?” Noctis said as he gently picked up both Regina and Aurora.

“Right,” the blonde nodded, gently picking up Ventus as well, and then carrying him to their shared crib. Once they were tucked in, Prompto wrapped an arm around his mate’s shoulders. “…I love you…” he murmured.

“Heh…love you, too,” Noctis murmured as he turned and pressed a kiss to the blonde’s lips. His alpha kissed back softly, before they laid down on the blankets set up for their blanket fort.

“Let’s get some sleep ourselves,” he smiled at the raven.

“Hmm… let’s.”

Prompto smiled softly as he held Noctis close to himself, the couple soon falling asleep together.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter, everyone! Sorry for the delay in getting these posted, but I've been busy with work, and not feeling the greatest. I hope this makes up for the wait!

X*X(8 Years Later)X*X

Time passed, as it was prone to do, still. And before they had even realized, it had been eight years since the triplets had been born. Eight amazingly wonderful years, and they had certainly gained their own unique personalities over the years.

Regina had grown up to be a bright, though serious child, with her black hair cut short very similarly to Noctis’, despite everyone’s insistence that she should grow it out. Like Prompto had already predicted, she was almost like a clone of Noctis, both in appearance and behavior. Added to that, she was extremely protective of her two siblings, though more so of Aurora, with her being the youngest.

Ventus had become a bright and happy child, having hair similar in style to Prompto’s, except his hair swept up above his right eye, whereas Prompto’s bangs partially covered his right eye. But other than that, he was very similar to his father, in that he was very optimistic, and adored the Chocobos. He was a sweet boy, very caring of his family, and also very supportive of his little sister.

Aurora had turned into a quiet young girl, with her hair grown out to hang around her shoulders, framing her rounded face. She preferred to read stories and make up adventures in her head instead of going out and going on them like her siblings did, but she certainly wasn’t averse to going with them whenever they did go. She really did love both her siblings very much and didn’t seem to mind that she was always the one needing them to protect herself.

But even though they were still young and so very dependent on their parents, sometimes Noctis couldn’t help but miss the diaper days of having infants. There was just something about holding a baby in your arms and taking care of it. Because of that feeling, he was actually tempted to have his heat, which would be coming up soon, but he needed to talk to Prompto about it first.

Groaning a little, Noctis slowly stretched out before he sat up, rubbing at the back of his neck. Surprisingly, Prompto was still asleep, curled almost around his omega, and humming contently on occasion. This made Noctis chuckle as he turned and pressed a kiss to Prompto’s forehead.

“Mm…?” the blonde mumbled, blinking his eyes open, before his gaze focused on the raven. “Morning…” he yawned.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” Noctis replied with a chuckle.

“I’m surprised you’re awake before me,” Prompto commented, propping himself up on one arm so he was able to look at Noctis properly. “Is something on your mind…?”

“Well…kinda…” Noctis admitted.

“What’s up?”

“Ah…well…”

“What’s wrong, Noct?” his alpha asked in concern.

“Nothing’s wrong!” Noctis said quickly, before flinching when his voice almost pitched. “Ah…I mean…nothing’s wrong…” he said, a little calmer. “Just… Gah, _Six!_ Why is this so hard?!”

“It’s okay, Noct,” Prompto soothed, kissing him softly. “Just take your time, okay? We have time.”

Noctis nodded as he took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

“Better?” the blonde smiled.

The omega nodded his head softly, running a hand through his hair. “Sorry…”

“Don’t be, it’s fine,” Prompto assured him, kissing him briefly. “You think you can tell me now?”

There was no immediate response; Noctis merely took another deep breath, clearly prepping himself for what he was about to say. And then he murmured. “Do you…want to try for more?”

The question clearly surprised Prompto, as he blinked once, a bit startled by the question. But he soon smiled warmly at his mate. “As long as you want to, I’d love to,” he told him, pulling the raven in for a soft kiss.

This made Noctis sigh softly, smiling warmly. “Thank you…and yes, I do.”

“Well, then I’ll certainly be happy to be there for your heat again,” his alpha murmured. “I’ll never deny you.”

Noctis chuckled softly. “I’m sure you will…” he murmured, before he frowned. “We should probably ask the kids about it, too…”

“Yeah, but I highly doubt they’ll be mad at the idea. In fact, I think Regina and Ven would love a younger sibling to protect,” Prompto pointed out.

“Haha… I’m sure they would…” his mate agreed.

“Well, let’s go talk to them about it over breakfast, and we’ll go from there. How long until your heat is supposed to hit?” the blonde asked.

Humming in thought as he calculated quickly, Noctis finally said, “A few days from now.”

“Sounds good. Then maybe we can have them go camping with Ignis and Gladio during that time if they approve,” Prompto suggested.

“Yeah…and maybe we can ask Kurasa and Kuja to go with them with Neku and Joshua…” Noctis added.

“Good idea,” his alpha nodded. “Well, we’d best get up, that way we can get things going.”

Noctis hummed in agreement as he moved out of the bed to get dressed. Prompto did the same, throwing on a red tank top and gray-tinted pants, slipping on his boots and buckling his belt before looking to Noctis, as the prince pulled on his black tank top to fit with his black shorts. Once he’d pulled on his socks and shoes, he turned to Prompto and nodded.

“All right, let’s go see what they think of another sibling,” Prompto smirked, kissing his mate briefly before they left.

It only took them a little bit to reach the triplets’ room, though, as expected, they were still fast asleep…with all three of them in Aurora’s bed, yet again. “I swear…when are they gonna grow out of that?” Noctis chuckled, though he obviously didn’t mind that much.

“I’m sure they will have to once the get their results back when they turn 12,” Prompto shrugged, smiling slightly.

Noctis smiled back at him, before he stepped up to the bed and then tapped the kids on their temple softly; first Regina, then Ventus, and then Aurora. “Rise and shine, little ones.”

“Meeeerrr…” Regina groaned, peeking out through one eye.

“Morning, kiddos,” Prompto chuckled, even as Ventus whined a bit, rubbing his eyes.

Aurora whined as she reached up to rub the dust from her own eyes as Regina sat up, yawning widely. “Why so early, Papa?” she asked with a whine.

“It’s not that early, princess,” Noctis chuckled.

“Ugh… Feels too early…” Ventus grumbled softly, yawning.

“Well, do you three want to eat?” Prompto asked.

“Yes…” Regina admitted.

“Then you have to get up,” Noctis pointed out. “C’mon.”

“…kay…”

“All right…” Ventus mumbled, sitting up. Aurora gave a small mewl as she sat up, yawning a bit, even as her siblings scooted out of the bed to get dressed.

“We’ll see you three in the dining room, okay?” Prompto smiled, and the triplets nodded as their parents left. When they reached the dining room, Regis was already there, waiting while he read through some reports.

“Good morning, Dad,” Noctis said with a smile.

“Hm? Good morning, you two,” Regis greeted, smiling lightly. “The triplets are getting ready, I assume?”

“Yeah, they’ll be here soon for breakfast,” Prompto nodded. As the two parents took their seats, it took only five minutes before the triplets wandered in the room, with Aurora still rubbing her eyes.

“Morning, Dad! Morning, Papa!” Ventus chirped as he took his seat. “Good morning, Grandpa Regis!”

“Morning, Ven,” Prompto chuckled.

“Good morning, Ventus,” Regis smiled.

“Mmm…! Morning!” Regina called out, while Aurora only managed a small, “Good morning…”

Noctis smiled at them warmly. “Alright, go take your seats, okay?”

“Kay!” Regina quipped, leading the way to their seats and getting in her own. Soon after the triplets were all seated, Ignis brought everyone’s breakfasts out, and then left after some thanks from the group. Once they were all eating, Prompto looked to his mate in question.

The prince seemed to consider the silent question for a few moments, but in the end, he nodded around a mouthful of food. Once he had swallowed, he looked over to the children. “Regina, Ventus, Aurora, I actually have a question for all of you,” he said calmly, which made the kids look up curiously.

“Wha’s u’?” Ventus asked around a mouthful of food, before swallowing.

“No talking with your mouth full, Ven,” Prompto chided.

“Sorry, Dad…” the smaller blonde apologized.

Aurora cocked her head curiously, while Regina quickly chewed her food and swallowed her own bite. “What’s wrong, Papa?”

“Nothing’s wrong, princess,” Noctis admitted. “I just want to ask your opinion on something…” Even Regis was curious now, setting down the document he’d been looking over while eating.

“…on what, Papa?” Aurora asked once she had finished her mouthful.

Smiling softly, Noctis finally asked, “Simple; would you like to have some younger siblings?”

Ventus’s eyes widened in pleasant surprise, and he soon smiled brightly. “I would!” he chirped, making Regis chuckle.

Regina looked at Noctis in awe as well, before she smiled as well. “Yeah! Me too!!” she said excitedly.

Only Aurora didn’t respond right away, biting her lip a little bit. Prompto noticed this first, and he frowned in concern.

“What’s wrong, sunshine?” he asked.

“…u-um…” the girl stammered. “I…I dun…”

Noctis frowned briefly, before he smiled as understanding dawned. “Don’t worry, Aurora,” he assured, making her look up. “I’m sure you’ll make a perfect big sister. After all, you've got two amazing older siblings of your own, don’t you?”

“Yeah! You’ll be an awesome big sis!” Ventus grinned.

“For sure!” Regina added with a smile, which, finally, seemed to ease Aurora’s worries, as she smiled softly.

“O-okay…” she squeaked out.

“So you three are okay with another sibling or two?” Prompto smiled.

“Uh-huh!” Ventus nodded.

“Yep!” Regina said with a grin.

“U-um…y-yeah…” Aurora added, smiling.

“Then you can expect them in about eight months,” their father told them, making Ventus pout.

“Eight months?! That’s so long, though!!” he whined.

“Awwww…” Regina added to her brother’s whine.

“Patience, you two,” Prompto chuckled. “Trust me, eight months will fly by.”

“Okaaaaay…” Regina mumbled softly, while Aurora nodded her head a bit.

Noctis smiled warmly, before he said, “Okay, so…let’s finish breakfast, okay?”

“Right!” Ventus nodded, before the triplets resumed their breakfasts. Once the family finished eating, Regis went to his son and son-in-law while the triplets helped clean up.

“That went rather well,” he commented with a small smile.

“I’d like to think so,” Noctis agreed.

“So, you’re ready for another?” his father asked.

“Pretty much, yeah…”

“Well, I’m looking forward to another grandchild or more grandchildren,” Regis chuckled. “I’ll ensure Ignis stocks up your room with food in a small fridge so neither of you have to leave.”

“Thank you, Regis,” Prompto smiled.

“Yeah… Thanks, Dad,” Noctis added, smiling.

“Anytime. While I have Ignis prepare, perhaps you should set up your arrangements for the little ones during your heat,” the King told them, before picking up his documents and heading to his office.

“Sounds good,” Noctis agreed as he stood up. Prompto stood as well, kissing his mate briefly before they approached the triplets.

“Hey, guys,” the alpha said, gaining their attention. “How would you three feel about going camping with Ignis, Gladio, and maybe even Uncle Kuja, Uncle Kurasa, Joshua, and Neku?”

“Really?!” Ventus yipped eagerly.

“We get to go to the woods?! YAY!!” Regina cheered, while Aurora smiled brightly in her own (quiet) excitement.

“Yep,” their father chuckled. “We’ll talk to Uncle Kuja and Uncle Kurasa, but I’m sure they’ll be fine with it.”

“Woohoo!” Ventus whooped, grinning widely. Noctis smiled at the children’s excitement, and he looked at Prompto fondly as they cheered and danced around each other in glee.

“We’d better find Kuja and Kurasa, then,” his alpha smiled. “How about you three go ahead and get packing, and we’ll go talk to your uncles.”

“Okay!” they all cheered before hurrying off to their room.

“Well, that settles that, at least,” Prompto chuckled, wrapping an arm around Noctis’s shoulders. “Let’s go find Kuja and Kurasa.”

“Right…knowing Kurasa, he’ll be in the garden, practicing. Neku’ll probably be with him.”

“Good point,” the blonde nodded, and then the couple headed to the garden. It didn’t take them long to reach the garden. And sure enough, Kurasa was sitting by one of the trees, quietly practicing on his lute, while Neku lay resting against his side. “Hey Kurasa, Neku!” Prompto called.

Kurasa hummed as he looked up, pausing briefly in his playing. “…Ah, hey,” he said as the pair approached.

“We have a question for you two,” the alpha began, looking at his omega.

“…oh?”

Noctis chuckled. “We were wondering if you would mind taking the kids camping next week.”

“…camping?” the man asked, frowning curiously. “What for?”

“Well…” Prompto started, but trailed off when he remembered Neku was there. “Let’s just say the triplets are expecting a sibling or two in eight months.”

“…Ah, I see,” Kurasa mumbled, even as Neku hummed lazily and blinked his eyes open. “Need someone to distract the kids, huh?”

“If you don’t mind…” Noctis said with a small shrug.

“…Nah. Change of scenery would be nice, really…”

“We’re also gonna see if Kuja and Josh want to go, too,” Prompto smiled.

“Why am I not surprised?” Kurasa snorted softly.

“Aw, c’mon. I’m sure you guys will all have fun,” the blonde chuckled.

“Not saying we won’t,” the beta said simply, while Neku looked between the adults curiously.

“We’ll go talk to Kuja and Josh now, then. The triplets are already packing, so you guys may want to get ready, too,” Prompto suggested.

“Hmm…sure.”

Noctis smiled, before he nodded to Prompto and they headed off, though not before waving to the two redheads. Kurasa merely raised his head briefly, and Neku blinked twice, before he settled back against the older man. When they found Kuja, he was in his room, appearing to be reapplying his makeup, while Joshua played around on his phone.

“Hey guys,” Prompto called, lightly knocking on the doorframe to announce their presence.

Upon hearing the call, Joshua looked up curiously, before he smiled. “Prince Noctis! Prompto!!” he cheered, hopping off the bed and running over to them.

“Hey there,” Noctis said with a smile as he dropped down to catch him in a hug.

“Heya Josh,” the blonde greeted as he ruffled the silverette’s hair. “How would you feel about going camping with your cousins, Kurasa, and Neku?”

“Really?! Yay!” the boy cheered, as Kuja chuckled from where he sat.

“Oh? Had something in mind, did we?” he asked cheekily, but Noctis merely chuckled.

“Perhaps…”

“Hmhmm…I see. Well, I see no reason _not_ to go, then?”

And this, naturally, had Joshua cheering loudly. Prompto chuckled at the boy’s excitement.

“Better get ready for it, then, cuz your cousins are already packing, okay?” he told the 11-year-old.

“They are!? Okay!!” Joshua chirped as he rushed off to start packing his things, much to his father’s amusement as the man walked over.

“So easily amused,” he murmured.

“It keeps life entertaining, though,” Prompto pointed out with a soft laugh.

“True, true,” Kuja agreed with a chuckle of his own.

Noctis smiled softly, before he turned serious. “Actually…are his tests not coming up soon?”

“Hm? Oh, not for a little while, Noct,” Kuja said, waving his hand dismissively. “And even if it was, one week later won’t change the results.”

“Honestly, with how he and Neku are with each other, and with Neku’s own tests coming up, I’d like to see them be able to be together,” Prompto admitted. “Josh is a good kid, and he deserves to be happy, even if that’s not for a while.”

“Playing matchmaker now, are we?” the omega crooned, but he didn’t seem the least bit upset about it.

“Well, you have to admit, they look good together,” Noctis pointed out.

“I’ll give you that…”

“Obviously it’s a ways away, but we’ll hope for the best,” Prompto shrugged.

Kuja chuckled as he began to turn. “Well, I’d best aid the little rascal in getting his bags packed. I shall see you later.”

“Sure thing.”

“See you later, Kuja,” the blonde nodded, before looking to his mate with a chuckle. “Let’s go check on our own little rascals, shall we?”

“Let’s,” Noctis agreed with a smile, as they began the trip to their children’s room. When they reached the triplets’ room, Ventus was laughing merrily while Regina and Aurora giggled.

Knocking on the door, Prompto opened it with a smile, asking, “And just what are you three laughing at, huh?”

“Just laughing about the fun we’re gonna have while camping, Dad!” Ventus told him.

“Yep-yep!” Regina chimed in from where she was putting the last few things in Aurora’s backpack, with said girl holding onto her plush Moogle (“Moglin”, as she’d named him).

“You guys almost ready?” their father asked, looking at his son’s backpack, unsurprised to see how messy it was inside. “Hang on, Ven. Let me help you organize this, okay? Or else you’re gonna be dropping things.”

“No I won’t!” Ventus protested, but let the alpha fix his backpack’s contents for him. Once Prompto finished, he smiled.

“See? Now you can fit more of what you need inside,” he told him.

While Prompto was helping Ventus, Noctis was helping their daughters. Fortunately, Regina was a little more organized than Ventus, but even she needed a little bit of help in getting everything out of her bag space. Aurora, though, had clearly wanted to take her plushie with (if her death grip on the poor thing was any indicator), but was lacking the space, even with Regina’s aid. So, after careful rearranging, everything was packed, with enough room for Moglin.

“There we go, sunshine; just enough space for Moglin,” he said warmly.

And Aurora smiled as she let the omega carefully tuck the plushie in her backpack, still peeking out with his head as the bag closed.

“Nice work, Noct,” Prompto smiled, as Ventus came over with his backpack on his back.

“You got Moglin all packed up?” he asked Aurora with a smile.

“Uh-huh!” Aurora nodded as Noctis helped her get her backpack on her back. Regina managed on her own, though it definitely took her a bit.

“All right, you three all set?” their father asked with a soft smile.

“Yep!” Ventus nodded eagerly.

“Yeah!” Regina added with a grin.

“U-uh-huh…” Aurora nodded shyly.

“Okay…let’s go find Iggy and Gladdy, okay?” Noctis asked with a chuckle.

“Yeah!” Ventus grinned, taking one of Aurora’s hands in his so they could stay together while Regina held her other hand. When they found Ignis and Gladio, they were surprisingly already at the entrance, waiting for them at the Regalia.

“Thanks for taking them camping, guys,” Prompto told the pair kindly.

“Of course. Anything to have fun with these three,” Gladio chuckled.

“And I already took care of His Majesty’s request,” Ignis told the couple.

“Thank you, Ignis,” Noctis said with a small nod as Regina ran up to Gladio.

“Gladdy! Camping! Camping!” she cheered, grabbing his much larger hand and almost bouncing on her feet.

“I know, squirt, we’re going,” the large brunette chuckled. “Just gotta wait on Kurasa, Neku, Kuja, and Josh.”

Thankfully, it didn’t take much longer after. Kurasa and Neku were the first to arrive, since they’re used to packing light already, and Kurasa was guiding Chichiri by the reins as Neku followed after quietly. Which, of course, was no big surprise.

“Good timing,” Gladio commented.

“Where are Uncle Kuja and Josh?” Ventus wondered.

“Dunno,” Kurasa admitted. “Should be here soon, though,” he added, even as Aurora came over and tried to reach up to Chichiri’s head. The Chocobo gave a happy trill as he lowered his head to let her pet him.

“Hi Chichiri!” Ventus smiled brightly, going over and petting the bird’s head as well.

“They should be here anytime now,” Prompto murmured as Regina joined her siblings in petting the large Red Chocobo.

“Morning, people~” a familiar voice suddenly called out.

“Speak of the devil…” Noctis chuckled out.

“Hey,” Prompto greeted.

“Hi Josh!” Ventus smiled brightly, while Ignis and Gladio waved to the father and son.

“Hey there~” Joshua said with a smile quite similar to his father’s. “How are you all today?”

“O-okay… Thank yous…” Aurora squeaked, turning her toes against the ground.

Regina didn’t look up from patting Chichiri's neck, and Neku, of course, merely watched in silence, as he always did.

“So, I see we’re all set to go, hm?”

“Yes, I believe so,” Ignis nodded.

“Sounds good,” Prompto smiled. “Regina, Ven, Aurora, come on over.”

Regina blinked curiously, before she took her sister’s hand and tugged her over, with Ventus close behind.

“You three behave for Ignis and Gladio, okay?” their father told them firmly, pulling them into a hug and kissing each of their foreheads.

“We will, Dad!” Ventus promised.

"Promise!" Regina added, while Aurora nodded her head.

Noctis smiled as he crouched down. “I expect you all to stay out of trouble, understood?”

“No prob!” Regina chirped.

“And Regina?”

“Huh?”

“Don’t mess with Joshua too much. Are we clear?”

“…fiiiiiine…”

“Aurora and I will make sure she doesn’t, Papa!” Ventus smiled.

“Hey!” Regina cried out, while Aurora giggled. Ventus merely laughed, before his father ruffled his hair.

“Just make sure you three watch out for each other, and behave for the adults, okay?” he said.

“Yes, Daddy,” the kids chirped.

Noctis smiled as he pressed a kiss to their heads, after which the kids climbed into the Regalia, as Kurasa picked up Neku and set him up in Chichiri’s saddle and Kuja took Joshua to his own car.

“Have fun, guys!” Prompto called with a smile.

“You guys, too!” Gladio laughed, before Ignis smacked the back of the Shield’s head as he drove off in the Regalia. Noctis waved after the car, smiling as Kurasa jumped onto Chichiri’s back and immediately took off after the Regalia and Kuja’s Lexus, before passing them by.

“Geez, Gladio’s probably gonna get an earful from Ignis later for that one,” Prompto snorted, wrapping an arm around his omega’s shoulders as they headed back inside.

“I’ll bet he will…” Noctis chuckled.

“Well, we’d better get ready to hole ourselves up for five days, huh?” the blonde smirked, kissing his mate briefly.

Noctis chuckled. “You’re WAY too excited for this…” he mumbled.

“Can you blame me? We haven’t had sex in six months, and I want to be intimate with you again,” Prompto pointed out.

“Pervert,” the prince chuckled as they walked back into the Citadel.

“And yet you love me for it,” his alpha smirked. The only response he got for that was a small chuckle.

 

X*X(That Night…)X*X

It was the middle of the night, and Prompto and Noctis were fast asleep in their room, the door locked to keep people out in case the prince’s heat hit during the night. Prompto was holding the raven close to himself, a quiet hum emitting from him on occasion as he slept.

“…mmm…” Noctis groaned as he reached up to his eyes, blinking his eyes slowly. He wasn't sure what had just awoken him, but whatever it was, he found it to be a little difficult to fall back asleep. “…?”

With another groan, the raven slowly pushed himself up. The motion woke his alpha, and Prompto groaned quietly as he woke up, inhaling deeply to wake himself more. Before he could ask, however, he caught it: Noctis’s beginning heat scent.

“Noct…” he breathed. “I…I think your heat’s…s-starting…” He stammered out the words, his eyes already darkening from the effects of the heat scent.

Hissing heavily, Noctis shuddered, reaching for his head as his body began to tremble fiercely. “A…aaahhh…”

Without waiting, the blonde pinned Noctis to the bed, kissing him hungrily, drawing a choked cry from the prince. It took only a few seconds for Noctis to wail into the kiss as he curled his arms around the blonde’s shoulders. Prompto lapped at the raven’s lips, seeking entry as he buried a hand in those ebony locks. And Noctis was all too happy to oblige, mewling as he clawed at Prompto’s bare back.

His alpha then began to move his hands further down, to the hem of the prince’s pajama pants, and started tugging them down. Mewling heavily, Noctis managed to lift his hips, letting Prompto tug the piece of cloth off. At the same time, Prompto got off his omega’s underwear, and then began to blindly pull off his own, managing to squirm and wriggle out of them, rubbing against Noctis in the process.

Groaning heavily, Noctis had to break away with a cry of pleasure, his legs trembling as heat began to pool lower. Prompto knew Noctis was producing slick by this point, but instead of penetrating him right away, he reached one hand down, and slipped two fingers into him, scissoring them widely.

“A-ahhh…! Pro-Prompto…!!” the omega whimpered.

“You want me, Noct?” the blonde whispered, nipping at the prince’s ear.

“Y-yes… _please_ …!”

“Then you get me,” Prompto smirked wickedly, before withdrawing his fingers and lining up with his mate’s entrance…right before sliding in with ease.

“Ahhh…!!” Noctis choked out, before he whimpered heavily. His alpha groaned loudly at the tight, slick heat, before setting a swift pace, kissing Noctis hotly as he moved. And with every motion, the prince clawed at the blonde’s back, wailing and whimpering into the kiss. Prompto thrust in hard and deep, and soon managed to find his omega’s prostate when he shifted his angle just slightly.

Which, in turn, had Noctis screaming out in pleasure as he broke away. “Pro…Prom…!! I…I can’t…!! A-aaaaah!!”

The blonde managed a breathless chuckle, but then shuddered heavily as he felt his knot nearly finish building, his movements becoming shallower. Wanting to ensure Noctis came with him, he began to stroke at the raven’s cock in time with his thrusts. The added stimulation had Noctis screaming out, as his nails dug into the blonde’s shoulder to the point where he drew blood.

Prompto lapped at Noctis’s mate mark, before growling in the prince’s ear, “Come on, Noct, let go…” right before he buried himself in deep, knotting him with a pleasured cry. And Noctis was right behind him, screaming out at the top of his lungs as his release hit him. The alpha shuddered heavily, holding Noctis close as he rode out his orgasms.

Gasping heavily, Noctis whimpered briefly, before his arms flopped down onto the bed. Prompto’s knot finally went own completely, but he still didn’t pull out, merely holding his omega close as he softly suckled and teased the raven’s mate mark.

“…A bit better…?” he breathed.

“…a…a bit…”

“I’ll keep going if you want more,” the blonde murmured with a smirk, his rumble sounding as he began to slowly roll his hips into Noctis’s to get himself back to full hardness again.

“A-ah… Pl-please…!” Noctis whimpered softly.

“Going,” Prompto grunted, nipping at Noctis’s mate mark as he began to thrust into him once he was hard enough his knot beginning to build again. Mewling pitifully, Noctis pulled Prompto down so he could kiss him, desperately, as he barely managed to curl a leg around his waist. The alpha growled fiercely into the kiss, deepening it without waiting, practically devouring his mate’s mouth as he continued to thrust into him.

And the omega could only whimper as he buried one hand in his mate’s blonde locks, tugging and yanking desperately as his body trembled. Prompto’s rumble sounded loudly as his thrusts became shallower with his building knot, so he began to stroke Noctis in time with his movements.

“Aaaaah…! Pro-Prompto…!” Noctis wailed out into the blonde’s mouth.

“Cum for me, Noct…” the blonde practically purred against his omega’s lips, giving a hard thrust and coming against the raven’s prostate, _hard_. And that was enough, making the omega choke on a cry as his back arched off the bed, his body tensing sharply as the pleasure rose to a pitch before he fell over the edge. Prompto kissed Noctis softly on the lips as he rode out his following orgasms, holding the prince close to him while rumbling in his chest.

“ _Hah…hah…hah…_ ” Noctis gasped out, his hands twitching as he went limp on the bed, whining softly. His alpha snuggled him close, rolling them until they were on their sides facing each other, even as his knot went down fully.

“Get some sleep for now, Noct,” he whispered. “We’ll have plenty of time for more of this~” Noctis could only nod softly, shutting his eyes slowly as his breathing gradually evened out again. As Prompto fell asleep as well, he looked forward to their future together, with their growing family, and his only love.


End file.
